The Heart of the Ocean
by gingerandproud
Summary: What would happen if Jack really lived? Yet another one of the "Jack lives" stories, but I promise this is different! I'm not great with summaries so bear with me!
1. WakeUp Call

As I watched Jack float into the water, I felt chills seep into every inch of my body. After a few agonizing moments, those sapphire blue eyes popped wide open.

"Jack! Oh, God, thank you. Jack!" I shouted with as much force as I could manage. My hands searched for his in the ice-cold water as he rose to the surface. I felt myself fall into the water with a splash and found Jack's arms around me instantly.

"I love you so much, Rose." He whispered, his voice cracking because of the cold.

"I love you too. Oh, God, I thought I lost you. I was so scared, Jack," I replied as tears threatened to spill down my face.

"I'm a survivor, always have been," he joked weakly.

Suddenly, Jack slipped from my grasp and was pulled into the lone lifeboat.

"Up you go, miss!" a voice encouraged me as I was lifted out of the water. A blanket was placed around my shoulders and I was set next to Jack. My Jack, who was safe and sound next to me. Our arms wrapped around each other and Jack fell into a deep slumber. I watched him breathe for a few minutes before falling asleep; there was no way I was losing him now.

After what felt like a few minutes, my eyes opened to shouting voices and another ship. I was still cold, down to the core of my being. I looked over to see Jack waking up as well. There were so many things I wanted to say, but every time I opened my mouth, I was unable to form the words. Someone sat me up, tied a rope around my waist, and helped me climb the first few rungs of a ladder. My joints were stiff and mechanical, but I managed to make it to the deck. After someone untied me, I turned around to see Jack climbing on to the deck. He saw me and crushed my body against his. Finally, I could feel the cold start to leave me. He kissed the top of my head and then walked me towards the Carpathia staff. With Jack whispering words of encouragement in my ear and his arms wrapped around me, I felt safer than ever.

"Names, please!" a man quipped.

After a quick glance at me, Jack replied, "Jack and Rose Dawson" confidently. Jack saw the look of astonishment on my face and kissed me tenderly. A stewardess cleared her throat, and we broke apart. I felt my cheeks flush as we turned to face the woman. She handed a blanket a large mug of hot chocolate to each of us. After I took a sip of my hot chocolate, the man handed Jack a key.

"Here you are! Room 342. Head right down that hallway over there."

We nodded and headed towards our room, careful to avoid the hysteria spreading throughout the deck.


	2. You Saved Me

As we walked through the ship's corridors, my mind began to race. What if my mother, or worse, Cal, saw us? We would never be able to see each other again. I would be forced to marry Cal, who would keep me trapped. The coldness crept back into my bones and my mind played several horrifying scenarios.

"Rose? You alright?"

Jack's voice silenced the chaos inside of my head. The worry in his voice was reflected in his eyes. He ran a finger along my jaw and tilted my chin up so I could look into his eyes.

"If you changed your mind and want to go back to your mother and Cal, I'll understand. I know I have nothing to offer you, I just-"

"Jack Dawson, I-" he pressed his palm against my cheek, sending chills down my spine.

"Please. Let me finish." His eyes begged me to listen. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and that I understand. I don't know what happened to the $10 I had in my pocket, but I'm pretty sure it's gone. You deserve the world and I simply can't give it to you. All I can offer is my love, but even that won't take care of everything you need."

I smoothed his hair back and his eyes closed. He seemed to melt under my touch. I tried to hold back my tears when I saw the lines of pain etched across his face.

"Oh, Jack." I murmured. "Why would you even think I'd leave? I love you so much that words cannot describe it." My voice grew louder as I tried to express my emotions without crying. "I don't know what I'd do if I had to go back to…. Them. I don't need fancy things like before; those things trapped me. All I need is you, Jack. You saved me, in every way imaginable. I'm too involved now. You jump, I jump, right?"

He opened his eyes and I saw that tears threatened to spill onto his face as well. He nodded and a few tears slid down his cheeks; only then did I let myself cry. Jack lifted my chin up so I could meet his gaze and then pressed his lips against mine. That kiss was electrifying; so tender yet so passionate. Every inch of my body felt like it was on fire. I could feel the chill in my bones start to thaw. Our mugs clinked, spilling some hot chocolate on our already-ruined clothes. When Jack pulled away, I shot him a disappointed look. He reached for my hand and our fingers intertwined as he chuckled.

"C'mon. Let's find our room."

All the lines of pain had been erased and were replaced with a brilliant smile. He led me down the hallway, reading out every room number.

"344…343…342! Here we are! Now stay here, just for a second." Jack opened the door then turned around to hold up a warning finger. He shot me a mock-serious look as he entered the room.

"Jack, what are you?" He shushed me as he set our blankets and hot chocolate on a small table. I couldn't help but laugh as he made his way back to the doorway. A smile played at the edges of his lips before he scooped me up and kissed me as he carried me into our room. I heard the door slide shut before he placed me on the bed.

"I've always wanted to do that," he said with a smile that made my heart race.

I tried to pull him with me, but brought our mugs with him before sliding into bed next to me.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Dawson!" I giggled as I reached for my mug.

Jack kissed me quickly as he handed me my mug. Sitting in bed, nestled against Jack's strong chest, my world was complete. Even after the hot chocolate was long gone, we still sat like that.

"Jack?" I broke the silence. "What if my mother or Cal finds us? I'll lose you forever!"

"Rose De-Dawson." He corrected himself. "I will never let anyone take you away from me. Cal will never lay a finger on you ever again. They don't control you anymore."

I could hear a fierceness in his voice, which completely contrasted with how gently he stroked my cheek.

"I love you so much," he whispered.

"I love you too," I said before pressing my lips against his as passionately as possible.

I pulled his body on top of mine, and he peppered my neck with light kisses. As our kisses deepened and became more urgent, I could feel his fingers undoing the tiny buttons on my dress. Every remnant of last night's cold started to leave my bones for good.


	3. You're So Different

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and encouragement I love you guys! I hope you enjoy this one!**

I woke up covered in a thin layer of sweat from last night- wait- yesterday morning. The clock read 7 o'clock and judging by the small rays of sunlight seeping through the blinds, it was 7 a.m. 24 hours ago, I had been frozen to the core. This morning, all I could feel was warmth and love. Jack's arms tightened around me, and I realized just how tangled up our bodies were. I couldn't suppress a smile as I snuggled closer to him, enjoying the slight ache in my joints. I tilted my head up to kiss his jaw and saw that he was still sleeping. He looked so peaceful, and, well, beautiful. I had never even thought of using the word "beautiful" to describe a man, but it was the only word that came close to describing him.

Slowly, Jack's muscles tightened and his eyebrows furrowed. I tried to untangle myself so I could smooth his hair, but he woke up with a start.

"Hmm? Wha-? Wha-?"

I ran my fingers through his silky smooth blonde hair and planted a reassuring kiss on his cheek.

"Good morning, love," I whispered in his ear, hoping to bring him out of dreamland.

Once those sapphire eyes focused, I could see Jack's face light up.

"Morning," he whispered, pulling me in for a kiss. "Were you watching me sleep?"

"Maybe…" I teased, drawing out my answer. "I couldn't help it. You looked so peaceful and," I paused, "beautiful."

"I'm not nearly as beautiful as you, Rose," he said, pulling our bodies closer together.

I could feel his lips pressing against the base of my neck as I whispered, "But you are. And then some. You really, truly, are."

"Rose." Jack said sternly, looking deep into my eyes. "You are the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful person on the face of the planet. Anyone who fails to tell you that every day is an idiot. I knew that the moment I laid eyes on you. Even though it seems impossible, your spirit makes you so much more beautiful. Your beauty caught my eye, but once I saw your spirit, I was completely captivated. Don't ever think you're not beautiful."

"Jack, you're so different."

"You were talking in your sleep last night. You kept repeating that phrase, over and over. I was wondering what you meant."

"Jack, you're just… you! You're so different. I don't even know where to begin."

"How about with who I'm different from?"

"My mother, Cal-"

"I sure hope I'm not like Cal!"

I couldn't help but smile, even though I placed a finger over his lips to silence him.

"Everyone I've met, really. Especially Cal. He was always so harsh, so unfeeling. He suffocated me in every way imaginable. I could tell I was just a prize to him, someone who could be bought; I could see it in his eyes when he looked at me. Whenever he touched me, my body would become tense. I was always waiting for the next blow, both verbally and physically."

"He… He HIT you? That no good bastard!"

Jack's eyes burned with a hatred I had never seen before. I could feel his hatred for Cal in every once of his being as well. I placed my hand against his cheek and turned his face toward mine.

"But you, my sweet, sweet, Jack," I paused long enough to kiss him.

"You're so different. So incredibly, wonderfully, different. You saved me with your kindness, your sense of humor, your zest for life. With the way you turn the insults flung at you into a joke everyone can't help but laugh at. The way you always know what I'm thinking, even when I don't. You saved me by loving me for me, not for how well I'll look next to you at parties or for how well you can control and own me. You see me, Jack. When you touch me, it's like electricity is running through my body. You're so gentle and loving, yet so passionate. At times it seems like you're scared of breaking me or something. You treat me like I'm valuable and like I actually mean something to you. Sometimes it's like you can't believe I'm here with you. There's nowhere else I'd rather be, Jack Dawson."

I barely finished when Jack crushed his lips against mine with such force that it took my breath away. He murmured a few "I love you"s in between kisses until I pulled away.

"Aren't you going to let me reply?" I teased.

He gave me a pointed look and lovingly brushed a few curls off my face.

"I love you too," I smiled.

Suddenly, both of our stomachs grumbled loudly.

"Well, looks like someone's hungry," Jack joked.

I nodded and rolled out of bed. After struggling with some of the buttons on my dress for a few minutes, I felt Jack's hands slip over mine as he finished the buttons.

"You know, these buttons are much easier to unbutton than button."

I could hear his smile in his voice and I couldn't stop my laughter. I scanned the room and noticed Cal's jacket lying on the floor. It was only a few feet away and was all crumpled up from being thrown off yesterday. When I looked at it again, I saw something strange poking out of one of the pockets.

"Jack?"

"Yes? What's wrong?" he replied, sensing the urgency in my voice.

"I think we need to look at Cal's jacket."

I turned to face him and saw the confusion in his clear blue eyes.

"Just look in the pockets, please."

After shooting me a strange look, he started walking towards the jacket, his eyes searching for answers in mine.


	4. Sorry! AN

**Sorry guys, but this isn't an update. This weekend was prom, and a friend of mine from Chicago came to visit. I haven't had any time to write, but I'll try to get the next chapter up in the next few days. Here's a great big virtual hug and a special thank you to tman210, BeautyBelle14, FlorenceAndTheMachineFan, and the anon who reviewed I love you!**

**So please keep reviewing and I hope y'all like what happens next!**


	5. Surprise

**Okay, every single time I read the reviews, I squeal like a small child. Not even kidding. To thegoodgirldoll, THANK YOU! I read your story (and loved it!) right before I saw your review. It means a lot **

**Please keep reviewing and thanks again guys! **

**P.S. Thoughts are in italics**

I could feel my heart pounding as jack picked up Cal's jacket. _It can't be. There's no way he would hand me a jacket filled with money_. I swallowed hard as Jack slid a hand into one of the pockets. His hand grabbed something, and his eyes widened in disbelief. Out came several stacks of 20-dollar bills. Our jaws dropped and we began to laugh incredulously.

"Check the other pocket!" I practically shouted.

Suddenly, the Heart of the Ocean was lying in Jack's palm. He quickly dropped it next to the money as if it would burn him.

"There's no way…" I whispered.

Jack looked too stunned to speak. I knew he had never seen this much money in one place before. I walked towards him and placed my palm on his cheek.

"Looks like I won't be getting the full Dawson experience, will I?" I joked weakly.

When Jack finally faced me, he started to laugh and spun me around. The room swirled around me as I tried to make sense of the situation. When he set me down, I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.

"Looks like the missing $10 isn't a problem either!" he smiled at me. "I'm going to take care of you, and we're going to see the world."

"Oh, Jack. I knew you would anyways."

"But now I don't have to worry." Jack's smile became serious, as did the tone of his voice.

It looked like a weight had been lifted off Jack's shoulders as he tucked the jacket, necklace, and money away. He folded a few bills and placed them in his pocket before wrapping his arms around me again.

"Why, I believe we were going to eat break fast, weren't we, my darling Rose?" His breath tickled my neck, sending a bolt of electricity down my spine.

"I do believe we were!"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"How about I get some food. We can have breakfast in bed!"

"But I don't want you to leave," I pouted.

"Now, now Rose. Here I am trying to be romantic and you're pouting? I'll be right back, I promise."

"What if you run into my mother or Cal?"

"I'm a big boy, love. I can take care of myself." Jack smiled his famous smile and pulled me close to him. He kissed the top of my head and my lips before leaving.

**So, whatcha think? I know it's short, but I'll try to update tomorrow! All the homework I didn't do over the weekend is haunting me… **


	6. Breakfast in Bed

**Since the last update was pretty short, this one is a bit longer. I'm going to try and update every other day at the latest, but you never know what's going to happen. **

**thegoodgirldoll (Sarah): Keep reading to see what kind of shenanigans happen next… Cal always has something up his sleeve ;)**

**catluver999: Yes, I did see it in 3D! I bawled for most of the movie. I thought it was amazing! My best friend didn't cry at all (she's insane!) and she laughed at me…. She just doesn't understand the beauty and tragedy of Titanic! **

**Here's an overall thank you to everyone who has encouraged me and the people who have read this story! Enjoy!**

After the door clicked shut, I stood in silence for a while. Eventually, I made my way to the bathroom and drew a hot bath. The sea salt in my hair made it tangled and scratchy. All I could think about was scrubbing every remnant of my former life off. I lowered myself into the tub and felt the hot water begin to lift away the grime of the past few days. I scrubbed my skin until it was raw, eager to erase Cal's slaps and the horror of the sinking. As I rinsed my hair underwater, faces began to flood my brain, one after the other. Tommy. Fabrizio. Cora. Captain Smith. Mr. Andrews. The swirled together and mixed with the screams and shouts of that night. The moment when I thought I had lost Jack replayed over and over in my mind. I could feel my breath become ragged and shallow. I squeezed my eyes as tightly as possible, wishing away the horrifying images and sounds. I dunked my head underwater and they suddenly stopped.

_Everything's okay. Jack will be back soon. You'll never have to see or deal with Caledon Hockley ever again. It's okay._

I yanked out the plug and wrapped a towel around my body as I stepped out of the tub. My clothes were stiff and rather disgusting, so I drew another bath of hot water and tried to wash my dress. I let it soak in the water for a few minutes as I put back on my underwear. Having never washed clothing before, I had no idea what I was doing. I thought about what I was doing and how absolutely ridiculous I must have looked and I felt a laugh escape my body. It was a real laugh, not a fake "I'm trying to make everyone happy" laugh, which surprised me. Ever since I had met Jack, none of my laughs had been fake.

I wrang out the dress and set it on a small heater to help it dry faster. I faced the mirror and hummed to myself as I combed my hair. I could feel my hands begin to shake as the fear of seeing Cal crept into my mind. I ran over every curl again and again, detangling each one in an attempt to calm my fears.

After checking my dress and seeing that it was still slightly damp, I wandered into the bedroom to check the time. Jack had only been gone 40 minutes, but it seemed like forever.

_Why is it taking him so long to grab food? This ship isn't even that big! Something must have happened. Maybe he saw Cal and- NO. Stop it, Rose. It's fine. You're just being paranoid. He'll be back soon._

I walked back into the bathroom and tried to style my hair. It was no use; it was still fairly wet and completely unwilling to cooperate. I let out a long sigh and decided to check my dress again. It was practically dry, so I deemed it wearable. I only had a few buttons left when I heard the door swing open.

"Honey, I'm home!" Jack called.

I ran into the bedroom and almost leapt into his arms.

"I missed you so much!"

"I wasn't even gone for an hour," he smiled before kissing me. "But I missed you too."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his neck. Jack's strong arms were around my waist and his face was pressed into my hair. For a while, we stood like that, just enjoying our closeness.

"How about some food? I left so we could eat after all," Jack joked.

Only then did I notice the two plates filled with eggs, sausages, toast, and oatmeal. The scent filled my nose and made my mouth water. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until now. I grabbed my plate and hopped into bed, settling myself under the sheets and blankets. Jack's arm slid around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. The steady rise and fall of his chest comforted me more than anything else.

After a few minutes, every scrap of food on my plate was gone. I looked up to see Jack watching me with a slight smile on his face. His sapphire-blue eyes sparkled as I met them.

"What?" I questioned. "Is there food on my face?"

"Nope. I just never imagined that I would see a first-class girl inhale her food like that," he teased.

"What, you thought a first-class girl would be proper at all times?"

Jack's eyes shined like they had during the third-class party.

"Well, you already proved me wrong. You're here with me, aren't you?"

"Jack Dawson! Are you saying that I'm not proper and classy all the time?" I feigned shock.

"Most of the time, yes, but sometimes…" he raised his eyebrows, "you're… not so proper. I think the starts would agree with me."

Jack pulled me even closer to him and kissed me like he had in the Renault. His arms shifted to the small of my back as I wrapped mine around his neck, my fingers twisting into his hair.

All of a sudden, a sharp rap on the door interrupted our kiss.

**Oh, snap! Who will it be? Let me know what you think in the reviews :) Who knows, maybe one of you will inspire me to change my story… **

**But in all honesty, please, please, please review! Your feedback means a lot to me. Any thought, comment, or concern is appreciated!**

**XO, **

**Katie**


	7. A Good Man

**Warning, this is a super long chapter. I started writing it last night and couldn't stop. I literally stayed up until 2 a.m. to write this. So, in honor of all of my effort, everyone should review this. Seriously people. 2 a.m. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and gave me feedback (especially Caeli Quaedem. I think this chapter moves a little faster!).**

**Love you guys!**

**XO, **

**Katie**

"We don't have to answer that," I whispered, my lips still tingling.

"Unfortunately, we have to."

Jack pressed his forehead against mine for a moment before lacing his fingers through mine. We rolled out of bed and headed for the door. My heart was pounding, anticipating Cal's face, bright red and nearly convulsing with anger. Once we opened the door, we saw that it was only a steward, not Cal.

"I'm sorry, Sir, Miss, but I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave your room and stay on the decks. There are others who could use a warm bed and a hot bath as well. We only have a few empty rooms, so everyone must rotate."

"Of course!" we replied in unison.

"We'll be out in just a moment," Jack added.

The steward gave us a curt nod before shutting the door.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Rose."

Jack grabbed a stack of 20s and split it, placing half in each pocket. I reached for Cal's jacket, the Heart of the Ocean and most of the money still in its pockets.

"It's alright, Jack. The man was right; we're not the only ones. The people who lost their loved ones could use a bed and their own bathroom much more than us."

He sighed and picked up our empty plates in one hand as he reached for my hand with the other. Jack lifted my hand and pressed his lips against it, bringing back so many wonderful memories.

"I love you," he whispered before kissing the back of my hand again.

"I love you too."

Jack opened our door and pushed our empty plates into one of the steward's hands, setting the key in the gloved palm of his free hand.

"Well, well. Look what the alley cat dragged in," a familiar voice sneered.

My mouth popped open in shock and I could feel my heart begin to race. Jack squeezed my hand and took a protective step forward. He rubbed his thumb against the side of my hand in an attempt to calm and comfort me.

"It's the gutter rat and his whore."

Jack's mouth became a narrow line and his eyes glinted with a coldness I had never seen before. I took a step forward to join him and icily replied, "Hello, Mr. Hockley."

I squeezed Jack's hand even tighter, silently willing him to not respond.

"Never let go," I whispered.

"Wasn't planning on it," he replied with a slight smile and squeeze of my hand.

"Steward, make sure to thuroughtly clean this room. I don't want to catch any fleas. And who knows what happened in there."

Cal scanned Jack with utter contempt and loathing. However, deep in his eyes I sensed something else, something I couldn't put my finger on. Jack returned Cal's look immediately. Cal's eyes lingered on every inch of my body, making my skin crawl. I had never felt so disgusted. His eyes came to a rest on his jacket.

"looks like you've got something else of mine, Dawson."

"Take it!" I threw the jacket at Cal's chest as hard as I could.

"We're feeling feisty, aren't we? You know, sweet pea, if you would just come back to me you could have everything. The world would be at your fingertips."

I searched Cal's eyes and saw genuine hurt. By this point, the steward had managed to disappear, damn him.

"Dawson. Jack. Could I please speak with Rose for a few minutes?" Cal pleaded.

"Why should I trust you? I know what you've done to her." The iciness in Jack's voice was undeniable.

I saw a flash of remorse shoot through Cal's eyes.

"Jack, I'll be fine. I'll yell if I need you," I smiled at Jack.

It seemed like Cal was actually sorry. I planted a kiss on Jack's cheek before taking a step towards Cal. I started to pull my hand away, but he spun me around. He pulled out bodies together and kissed me. It felt like the world was fading away; all I could sense was the feeling of Jack's lips on mine. It was as though I was melting under his touch.

Cal cleared his throat quickly and we broke apart. My face flushed and Jack just smiled.

"You…" I accused him, lightly slapping his chest.

Jack laughed and nudged me toward Cal.

"Let me know if you need anything, all you have to do is holler!"

I nodded before facing Cal. We walked a few yards down the hallway and turned into a niche. My heart was pounding and my hands were trembling slightly.

"Rose, I" Cal paused to swallow. "I want to apologize. For everything."

I gasped, stunned by his words.

"You see, I was jealous. Not only of Jack, for the way he understands you and for how much you love him, but of your relationship. When I was a child, I had a best friend named Marie. She was only two years younger than I. As we grew older, we fell in love. You could say we were childhood sweethearts." Cal smiled slightly as he reminisced.

"However, once I turned 18, I was sent to Oxford for a 'proper education'. While I was away, Marie became engaged. When I found out, I was furious. My father knew how in love we were, but he didn't care. I rushed home only to find that Marie had just left on her honeymoon. I don't know what happened to her; if she's happy, if she loves that bastard, or even if she's alive."

A few tears shone in the corners of his eyes. I was dumbstruck; Cal had never shown any emotion other than anger before.

"Oh, Cal. I'm so sorry," I said, placing my palm against his cheek. He placed his hand over mine and replied, "It's alright, Rose. I'm jealous because Jack has the chance to do what I never could: stop the wedding of the woman I love. I'm jealous of the happiness I know you two will share. I wouldn't wish what I went through when I lost my love on anyone, and certainly not on you."

I pulled Cal into a giant hug, the most affectionate display we had ever had.

"Thank you," I whispered before kissing his cheek.

"Oh… Um… You're welcome?" he replied. I could tell that he wasn't used to any warm emotions.

"Before I forget…" he broke our embrace and fumbled with the jacket. He reached into one of the pockets and pulled out the Heart of the Ocean. He looked at it for a moment before placing it in his pocket.

"Here," he said handing me the jacket. "I want you to stay warm."

"But Cal-"

"I said that I wanted you to stay warm, Rose. I know that this jacket is not very warm," he replied with a smile.

I stood there in shock, unable to process what had just happened.

"Oh, Rose," he sighed, setting the jacket in my arms. "I do love you, but not like Jack does, and not like Marie."

"Then find her. There's got to be a record of her wedding. I'm sure that you could find her, Cal."

A sparkle I had never seen crept into his eyes.

"Let's go find Jack. And don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything." Cal motion for me to follow him.

"In a way, this really freed me. Now I can find her. I won't wreck her marriage, but if she's been widowed…" His eyes glazed over as he imagined seeing his love again.

Jack saw us and started walking towards us quickly.

"Cal?" I said, snapping him out of his daze. "Find Marie. And when you do, never let go."

He looked down at me and I saw that his eyes were completely changed; Caledon Hockley was a new man. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you so much, Cal."

"And thank you. Good luck to the both of you." Cal nodded at Jack before walking away.

"What the HELL was that?" Jack asked.

"He's a good man, Jack. Underneath all of his shit, he's a good man."

**4 pages on word, guys. It's the longest chapter yet! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. NOW. I want to hear all of your reactions to this crazy chapter :) **


	8. Back On Solid Ground

**It's been a while, I know. My apologies! Anywho, thank you to everyone who reviewed! You guys are amazing!**

**Every time I watch Titanic, I wonder what made Cal such a poop face. The last chapter was a possible explanation. I agree with you guys; it's hard to see Cal as an actual human. I case anyone was wondering, I did not want it to seem like Rose was planning on leaving Jack for Cal. She did go and talk to Cal without Jack, but I would never, ever have her completely leave Jack for Cal. If I did that, I wouldn't blame you guys if you hunted me down and killed me in the middle of the night. **

**PLEASE review guys! I can't make this story better without your help! Feel free to add anything you'd like to see (within reason, of course) in a review or message me. Your reviews keep me motivated, so the more reviews, the faster the next chapter will happen! **

**XO,**

**Katie**

Jack stood frozen; his eyes were searching for some sort of answer in mine.

"Jack? Love?" I asked, reaching for his hand. "I know this sounds insane, but he gave me back the jacket. With all of the money still in the pockets."

His eyebrows raised and he laughed in disbelief. I thought about how ridiculous this situation seemed and burst into laughter as well. Jack wrapped his arms around my waist and spun me around.

"Who would have thought that Caledon Hockley would help his fiancée run off with another man? I guess he's not a complete jackass after all."

"Jack!" After seeing my angered expression, he set me down.

"He's not really a jackass! He told me something that happened to him, and I think that hardened him. He lost someone very dear to him and it made him bitter. He masked his pain with arrogance and with being a jackass."

"Rose. He _shot_ at us. He hit you! You can't blame all of that on his past. My childhood wasn't exactly a cake-walk, and I don't think I'm a jackass."

"I know, Jack, I know. And you're not a jackass by any means! The bad things in your past made you stronger. You became a wonderful, loving, and passionate person. Cal just closed himself off and became cold. It's not an excuse for all the horrible things he's done, but it's a small explanation."

Jack cupped my chin in his palm and stroked my jaw. His hands were slightly calloused, yet still soft; true artists' hands.

"You're truly amazing, Rose. Not many people would be able to forgive and even defend someone like Cal."

"He's changed. I promise. I know it's hard to do, but will you promise me that you won't hate him? You don't have to like or forgive him, but I don't want you to hate him after what he just did for us."

"For you, anything."

He tilted my chin and kissed me lightly. I pulled his body closer to mine and deepened the kiss, as if we were sealing a pact. I heard footsteps around the corner and pulled away from Jack to look. I thought I heard my mother's voice and looked at Jack.

"Run!" I half whispered, half shouted before yanking him after me.

We took off running in the opposite direction, only stopping briefly to read the signs. Once we reached the deck, we took one look at each other and started laughing. I fell into Jack's arms and rested my head on his chest.

"We do this a lot, don't we?" I asked in between laughs.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied.

The next few days passed by in a blur. Before I knew it, we were staring at the Statue of Liberty.

"I can't believe we're here," I murmured.

"Neither can I," Jack whispered into my hair.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the mob of people approaching Carpathia.

"Sir? Sir!" a steward yelled after us. "I need your names, please."

"Jack and Rose Dawson," Jack replied, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Alright. Well, all the survivors are supposed to stay in the same hotel. That woman over there can give you the directions. Good luck to the both of you."

Jack nodded at the steward and lead me towards the woman. People swarmed around us, shouting out names and crying. Some were crying tears of joy and others cried in agony. The horror of Titanic would never end; people would be dealing with the repercussions for years.

_Maybe they'll even remember this 100 years from now._

I buried my face in Jack's chest, trying to block out the noise and commotion. It was useless. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't ignore the pain and loss of the people surrounding me.

"Shh… I'm here, Rose. It's alright. We'll be at the hotel room soon. It's going to be okay."

Jack's words calmed me down; he always knew exactly what to say. It was like he could read my mind at times.

"Just close your eyes and try to ignore this madness. I'll let you know when it's safe. I'm right here, love. I won't let go."

"I'll never let go," I replied.

I didn't think Jack would ever understand the effect he had on me. I opened my eyes for a moment and kissed his jaw. I quickly buried my head back into his shirt. I felt Jack's fingers stroke my hair as he kissed the top of my head fiercely.

By the time we reached the hotel room, I was exhausted. We collapsed onto the bed, and Jack wrapped his arms around me. Even though his arms were strong and made me feel safe, every terrifying image of the sinking flashed through my mind. I could hear the screams and shouts of the people in the water as well as the eerie silence that followed. Tears streamed down my face. I was trying so hard to choke back my sobs, but it was impossible. Jack pulled me closer to him and planted little kisses in my hair.

"It's alright, Rose. We're here and we're safe. That's the most important thing right now. I love you," he whispered into my hair.

His voice choked and he started crying himself. I don't know how long we were lying there for before I cried myself into a restless sleep. No matter where I went, the nightmares followed.

**Remember, review, review, review! Thanks dolls!**


	9. Good Morning

**Oh mylanta, guys. I cannot even tell you how much your feedback means to me :) All of your support and encouragement is amazing to hear! Logging in and seeing all the new reviews was so great. To the anon who said that I made your life, I'm pretty sure that YOU made MY life! Thank you to everyone who reviewed. **

**I had an AP test two days ago (Spanish. It was horrible!) and I had another one today, so this isn't going to be a super great chapter. My brain is kind of fried right now, but writing helps :) I just wanted to make sure that all of you know how much I absolutely love you!**

**Thanks again, my dears!**

I woke up to Jack's clear blue eyes the next morning. I mumbled a groggy "good morning" and he chuckled as he kissed my forehead.

"Good morning, sweetheart. I love you," he whispered.

All I could do was grumble in response; my brain was still half-asleep.

"Well then," he teased me. "Looks like someone's in trouble!"

Before I could realize what was happening, Jack was tickling me.

"Jack!" I shrieked. "Cut it out!" I managed to choke out between laughs. "I'm sorry! I love you, too!"

I was only able to say one word at a time; I couldn't stop laughing as I tried to gulp some air.

"Jack! What else do you want me to do?"

After I managed to choke out my question, he stopped ticking me. I had moved to the other side of the bed in an attempt to escape him, but he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. Jack's blue eyes gazed smolderingly into mine, and my breath caught in my throat. He tucked a curl behind my ear, sending a chill down my spine.

"Later," he whispered; his voice had a hint of huskiness I had only heard a few times.

Jack kissed me with passion and longing for a moment before pulling away.

"This has really been a good morning," I murmured before kissing him again.

When Jack pulled away, I let out an annoyed sigh, but he only laughed at me. He reached for a brown paper bag on the bedside table and lightly shook it in front of my face.

"Breakfast!" he announced with a triumphant smile.

Jack pulled out two croissants and handed me one.

"Mademoiselle," he said with his horrible French accent.

I laughed as I bit into the croissant, feeling better than I had in years. I mug of coffee slid into one of my hands, and I quickly took a sip.

"Jack! This is black coffee!"

He laughed after seeing the look on my face. I always had a little milk and sugar in my coffee; without it, it was just too bitter.

"I'm sorry, Rose. You just looked so…. Funny. And beautiful," He stroked my jaw and kissed my forehead. "Here. I'll make it up to you."

Jack took the mug of coffee and the half-eaten croissant out of my hands. We sat cross-legged on the bed, his hands enveloping mine. He took a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Rose," his eyes looked deep into mine. "I love you so much. More than words can even begin to describe. You know that I'd do anything for you, that I'd do anything to see you smile. I know we haven't know each other for a long time, but I know I want to spend the rest of my life by your side, if you'll let me. Will you marry me?"

He pulled a small black box from his pocket and opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.

"YES! Of course, Jack. I love you."

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him again and again. I could feel my heart pounding as tears formed in my eyes. Jack slid the emerald and gold ring onto my finger with shaking hands.

"I know it's no Heart of the Ocean, but-"

"It's beautiful," I interrupted. "Thank you."

"You're so perfect," he murmured before kissing me.

I kissed him back with every inch of my being. It was still so hard to believe that a kiss could mean so much; with Cal, I dreaded every time he touched me, every kiss. With Jack, I couldn't wait for the next kiss. Just the sight of him made my heart flutter.

I ran my fingers through his hair and whispered, "Is it later yet?" into his ear.

Jack didn't say anything; he kissed me harder and reached for the buttons of my dress…

**So I was working really diligently on this, but then the special edition of _Dirty_ _Dancing_ came on ABC Family, and I had to watch it. It's impossible to not watch that movie, okay? Anyways, here it is! Hope you love it and remember to review :) You guys are amazing!**

**XO,**

**Katie **


	10. Penguins

**Hello lovelies! Sorry it's been so long. I was working all weekend and wasn't on the internets AT ALL. It was horrible. Anyways, thank you for your reviews and I hope you enjoy the next chapter! Remember to review and make my day :) **

**Basically, I love you guys a lot. Almost as much as I love Jack. I mean, how can you not love him? Anyways, you probably want to read the next chapter, huh?**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW :)**

"Maybe we should do something today," Jack mused.

"I'm fine with staying here too," I replied with a smile.

Our fingers did their own dance, tangling together and untangling. Being able to hear Jack's heartbeat gradually slow down was something I treasured. After all, I once thought I would never hear it again. He moved a few damp curls behind my ear and began tracing invisible patterns along my shoulder and arm. I closed my eyes and let out a content sigh. Jack's heartbeat and loving caresses made me feel safe and loved, something I hadn't felt before I met him.

"I could stay here forever," I murmured.

"Me too," he replied into my hair, planting a gentle kiss.

The steady rise and fall of Jack's chest lulled me into a semi-conscious state.

"I love you," I heard him whisper.

"I love you too," I replied with a dreamy smile.

I opened my eyes and saw my dress lying on the floor. It was all wrinkled and very dirty; its former glory was gone. I realized that I couldn't wear that dress much longer. Although I cherished it for all the memories it contained, I couldn't wear it forever.

"Maybe we should buy new clothes," I said, looking up at Jack.

"Maybe. But I thought we were staying here forever," he teased.

I rolled my eyes and he laughed.

"Well, c'mon, then!" he said, pulling me out of bed.

Once again, I struggled with a few of the buttons of my dress. Before I could say anything, Jack was standing behind me. With each button, he lightly kissed my neck. I turned my head to quickly kiss his jaw as he kissed my temple.

"Let's go," he said. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be back."

We wandered around the streets of New York before finding a clothing store. A few people gave us odd looks when they saw our clothing, but most people didn't notice or care.

Shopping took longer than usual because I wouldn't let Jack out of my sight, and he wouldn't let me out of his. As we finally exited the shop, we heard a little boy ask his parents if they could go to the zoo. Jack saw my eyes grow huge at the idea of visiting the zoo, and he laughed and led me after the family.

I had never been to the zoo before, so seeing all the different kinds of animals in one place was magical to me. The fact that I was experiencing this with Jack made everything much more amazing and lovely. Whenever I glanced at Jack, he was looking at me with such love; his blue eyes were sparkling every time I smiled.

At the penguin exhibit, I was transfixed by the way the penguins would slide into the water and do tricks whenever they pleased.

"Hey, Rose," Jack called, bringing me back to reality. "Did you know that penguins mate for life? Will you be my penguin?" he asked.

He pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around me.

"Yes, of course, Jack!"

We laughed in unison and I felt my spirit soar. He pressed his lips against my forehead and the tip of my nose. I stood on the tips of my toes to kiss his lips, something my mother would consider "inappropriate." I didn't care; even though we weren't on the bow of Titanic, Jack still made me fly.

We spent the rest of the day at the zoo, watching the animals and showing more affection than was socially acceptable. When we walked back to the hotel, hand in hand, it was dinnertime.

"I have this crazy idea," Jack began. "How about we take a train to Santa Monica tonight? There's one leaving in just over an hour, and I have two tickets."

He tried to his sheepish grin as he pulled two tickets out of his pocket.

"Jack Dawson! You're crazy!" I laughed. "Why _wouldn't_ I want to leave? Especially for Santa Monica. And with you." I added.

Jack crushed his lips against mine and I could feel him smile.

"Let's go," I said before running back to the hotel.

I could hear Jack's laughter float through the air and mix with mine as ran to catch up with me. Once he caught up with me, he wrapped his arms around my waist, picking me up and spinning me around.

"You're definitely crazy!" I laughed,

"With all due respect, miss, I'm not the one running through New York City."

Once we were seated on the train, I could feel my heart lift. Cal and my mother were figments of the past. The stars glimmered outside of our window.

"It's so beautiful," I said wistfully.

"The view is breathtakingly beautiful," Jack replied.

"They're so amazing," I continued.

Jack murmured in agreement. One of his arms was around me and he was wrapping my curls around his fingers. I turned my head to look at him, and I saw that Jack's eyes were on me, not the starry night. I felt my cheeks burn as a blush spread across my face. He smiled and kissed the tip of my nose. It was such a sweet and tender gesture that it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Every memory with him came flooding back; wishing on a falling star, telling him about my dreams, going to the stars. I gazed into Jack's clear blue eyes and saw that he was remembering everything too.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you more," he replied with a devilishly handsome grin.

"Jack Dawson, you…" I started. "Look! A falling star! Make a wish!"

The burst of light interrupted my mock anger.

"What'd you wish for?" he asked.

"I don't need to wish for anything; everything I've wished for is right here."

Jack crushed his lips against mine. In each kiss, I found the love I had been searching for my entire life. I could feel how much he loved me, and I returned every bit of his love. I never imagined that I would ever love someone this much, or that someone would ever love me this way.

As a child, I made a list of all the qualities I wanted my future husband to have; over time, I gave up on this list. It seemed like an impossible task, especially with Cal in the picture. Jack possessed every quality I had listed as a child; he really was made for me, and I for him. I still couldn't believe how blessed I was. I felt like at any moment I would wake up and find Cal snoring next to me.

Jack's hands ran along my body, bringing me back to reality. He trailed kisses along my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

"Take me to the stars, Jack," I commanded.

He happily obliged.

**Once again, it's been forever, I know. The middle section is also pretty rushed, and I send my apologies. I've been running around all day but I just _had_ to get this on paper. I don't know anything about the history of the NYC zoo, and if anything about penguins etc is inaccurate, I'm sorry. I took a little creative licensing, and I hope it turned out well. **

**Anyways, REVIEW, dolls! You people are fabulous and I adore all of you! I hope you enjoyed this :)**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	11. A Surprise Encounter

**Thank you thank you thank you dolls! Your reviews and encouragement mean a lot, but don't be afraid to be harsh! You guys are so great, so here's another update….. :)**

**Enjoy! And remember to review lovelies! :)**

The sun's glare woke me up the next morning. I let out a groan as I tried to shield my eyes. After seeing that I couldn't block the bright light, I rolled out of bed and blindly reached for a dress. As I slipped the fabric over my body, I noticed that it was my lavender dress. Although my mother _hated_ it when I tried to wear lavender, Jack found it beautiful. A slight smile crossed my face as I remembered shopping with Jack.

_The first dress I saw was lavender. When I realized that I could wear whatever I wanted, I smiled brightly. After grabbing a few more dresses, a woman asked if I wanted to try on one, just to make sure they would fit correctly._

_I nodded and grabbed Jack's hand, pulling him behind me. He sat on a chair outside of a small room as I tried on one of the dresses- the lavender one. I anxiously tried to smooth the fabric. "What if Jack thinks the color is horrible? What if the dress looks bad on me?" I thought. Shoving those negative thoughts out of my head, I stepped out of the room._

_Jack's eyes lit up when he saw me. The look on his face told me everything I needed to know; he loved the dress._

"_You look…" he muttered, pulling me into his arms. "You look so beautiful," he whispered._

I snapped back into reality and glanced at his sleeping figure. Those beautiful blonde locks stuck up and out in every direction. I tried not to laugh as I kissed his forehead. I quickly slid out the door in search of breakfast.

In the dining room, I saw a man sitting in the corner drawing a young girl. It looked like he had a stack of art supplies next to him, so I decided to see if I could purchase something for Jack. After the man finished his drawing, I walked towards him.

"Excuse me," I said timidly. "I was wondering if I could purchase some art supplies for my husband. He left everything at home, and he's anxious to draw something again."

Calling Jack my husband was one of the most thrilling things I had ever done. I couldn't believe that I was going to marry someone I loved with all of my heart and soul instead of Cal.

The man reached for a stack of paper and a few sticks of charcoal.

"Here you go, ma'am," he smiled as he handed me the supplies.

"Thank you so much! You have no idea what this will mean to him."

My face lit up as I imagined Jack's reaction. I handed a few dollars to the man, but he shook his head and refused them.

"Don't mention it," he smiled. "My name's Andrew Lawrence."

"I'm Rose Dawson, and my husband is Jack. Again, thank you. Are you sure you won't accept the money? It's the least I can do."

Andrew smiled and shook his head.

"No, ma'am. I would like to see what your husband draws, though. I'm sure we'll run into each other at some point. This train isn't very big," he laughed and gathered up his supplies.

"Well, thank you. Really. Maybe we could meet for dinner tonight!"

"That would be lovely. 7 o'clock?"

I nodded and Andrew tipped his hat before walking away. Forgetting all about breakfast, I practically ran back to our cabin.

I opened the cabin door to find Jack buttoning up his shirt; the worried look on his face disappeared the instant he saw me.

'Rose! Where were you? I was so worried!"

Jack pulled me into a tight embrace and kissed the top of my head repeatedly.

"I'm sorry, love. I was planning on getting some food, but I was side-tracked," I replied.

I tilted my head up and kissed him before wriggling out of his arms.

"Close your eyes," I ordered. "And hold out your hands…"

"Rose! What are you doing?"

Jack laughed in disbelief before closing his eyes and holding his hands in front of him. I placed the sheets of paper and charcoal in his hands before kissing him.

"Now you can open your eyes!"

Jack's eyes widened as he saw the art supplies in his hands.

"How did you?" he asked incredulously.

"I have my ways," I smiled. "There's a man, Andrew Lawrence, who's on the train as well. I ran into him while he was drawing, and bought some things for you. Well, I tried to pay for them, but he refused the money. We're meeting him for dinner tonight and he would love to see whatever you draw."

I saw the sparkle in his eyes and I smiled broadly. I was finally able to do something for him, and I was glad. Jack set the paper and charcoal down before looking at me. I placed my hand on his cheek; he set one hand on top of mine and wrapped the other around the small of my back. Our noses and foreheads were touching. I waited for Jack to say something. Finally, he opened his mouth.

"You are so incredibly amazing, Rose. I love you," he whispered.

"I love you-" he cut me off with a kiss.

My entire body felt like it was on fire; only Jack could fill me with such passion. Every time he touched me, I felt more and more alive. I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his hair.

Suddenly, my stomach grumbled loudly. Jack pulled away from me and laughed.

"You hungry, love?"

"I'm fine, don't worry!" I replied; I didn't want to leave his arms, even for a moment.

"It _is_ getting late. Let's get some food. I don't want my penguin to starve!" he teased.

I resigned with a sigh as we left the cabin in search of food.

**Yay! It's a fluff chapter :) I wanted to write, but I didn't have much time. Sorry it's so short and fluffy! The next one will be better :) Anyways, REVIEW and make my day!**

**Quick question, would y'all like to see Jack and Rose get married right away once they get to Santa Monica, or would rather see them take their time?**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	12. Confessions

**DISCLAIMER: How have I not done this yet? Anyways, Although I wish that I owned Titanic, especially Jack Dawson, I don't. I'm simply writing about how I think Titanic should have ended. Thank you to James Cameron for giving us the opportunity to write/read all of these stories! :)**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing dolls! Make sure to keep reading to find out exactly who Andrew Lawrence is :) **

**THANK YOU to the people who reviewed, especially Sarah! A big THANK YOU to everyone who read this and didn't review. Y'all are fabulous!**

**Enjoy! ;)**

As I finished my breakfast, I looked out the window and saw fields rushing by. It looked like we were surrounded by farms. My mind immediately jumped to Jack and his childhood in Wisconsin.

_I wonder if Jack misses it there. Maybe we should visit sometime. _

"Jack?" I asked. "Do you miss Chippewa Falls?"

"Yeah, I do," he replied with a sigh. "But there's nothing for me there now. After my parents' deaths, everyone looked at me with pity in their eyes. I couldn't handle another day of being the 'poor orphaned boy.' I had a few close friends, and my friend's family took me in. One night, I decided to leave. The money I had inherited from my parents wasn't much, but it was enough to get me to New York. From that moment on, I became a tumbleweed blowing in the wind."

Jack smiled at me, but I could tell it was fake. His blue eyes lost their usual sparkle and became distant as he thought about his childhood.

"We could visit sometime, if you'd like. I've never been to the Midwest."

I smiled at him encouragingly and ran my thumb along the side of his hand. He mechanically nodded his head, lost in his past.

"Hey, do you want to go back to the cabin and talk for a while, love?" I gently asked.

He nodded again and I helped him stand up. As we walked towards the cabin, I wrapped his arm around my shoulder and leaned into his chest.

"I love you," I whispered before pressing my lips against his jaw.

That seemed to pull Jack out of his trance. He kissed the top of my head before whispering, "I love you" back.

When we reached our cabin, Jack immediately reached for a piece of paper and some charcoal. I watched in silence as his hands floated across the paper; the way Jack disappeared into his own little world whenever he drew something fascinated me. Jack's eyebrows furrowed and he flipped some hair out of his face, exactly like when he drew me. I felt blood rushing to my cheeks as I remembered that night with a slight smile. I saw a tear run down Jack's face and I tentatively placed a hand on his knee. He flinched for a moment, but kept drawing.

"I'll show you when it's done," he whispered.

I nodded and kissed his cheek before heading across the cabin to look out the window.

_I shouldn't have brought it up. Seeing him hurt hurts me. God, I love him. I wish I had never brought it up._

_Stop being silly, Rose. His childhood would have been brought up at some point. It's not like he can hide it forever._

_I can't hide mine either. Even though I've accepted what happened, it still hurts. I don't think I could handle talking about it in front of him._

_He loves you, no matter what. What happened isn't your fault. If he tells you about his childhood, you should tell him about yours._

I spent what seemed like hours arguing with myself; in the end, I realized that if Jack told me about his past, I would tell him about mine. After all, he loved me. I needed to tell someone how I felt about what happened, and Jack was the only one who would ever come close to understanding. I took a deep breath and looked at Jack. He was holding the sheet op paper in his hands and tears were streaming down his face.

I practically ran to him and placed an arm around his shoulders. I pulled him close to me and pressed my lips into his hair. Jack's body shook with great, heaping sobs and I tried to calm him. From experience, I knew that sometimes a good cry was necessary, so I stopped trying to soothe him and just held him. My heart broke for Jack; he had always been my rock, and now it was my turn to help him.

After a while, Jack's sobs stopped and his body gradually stopped shaking. He looked at me with red-rimmed eyes and I brushed away the few remaining tears. I kissed his forehead and felt him relax.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Jack! Don't be. I'm sorry I brought it up, love."

"No, it would have been brought up at some point. You deserve to know."

Jack took a deep breath and shut his eyes for a moment before looking at me again.

"We don't have to talk about it now. We have time."

"No, it's alright."

We shifted our bodies so we were facing each other; my legs were sprawled across Jack's lap and he held my hands in one of his. The picture Jack had drawn earlier was in his other hand; it was a drawing of two people, a man and a woman, smiling and laughing. They were bundled up in heavy winter clothing and looked so happy.

"This is the last time I saw my parents smile and heard their laughter. We went out ice fishing for my 15th birthday, and we were having so much fun. It was amazing; laughing and cheering when every fish was caught, even the small ones," Jack let out a small laugh. "They sent me home to grab some food, and when I returned, they were gone. The ice below them had cracked, and they were plunged into the freezing water. I don't know if they died of hypothermia or if they drowned. They were just lying in the water, and my dad's arms were wrapped around my mother. It looked like he was still trying to protect her."

Tears welled up in Jack's eyes, and he glanced longingly at the picture.

"I just miss them so much. If I had gotten back earlier, maybe I could have helped. If I hadn't left, maybe they'd still be here," he whispered.

I pulled Jack back into my arms and squeezed him tightly.

"I know. I miss my dad every day. But it's not your fault, Jack. You had no clue that the ice was going to break. If you had stayed, you might not be here now. I might not be here now," I whispered.

I held Jack's face in my hands and kissed him gently. I ran my fingers through his silky blonde hair in an attempt to smooth them.

"I'm sorry, Jack," I murmured before kissing him again.

"This is a beautiful picture, love. I know your parents would be proud of you," I tilted Jack's chin up so he met my gaze. "Don't blame yourself. I know it's hard to stop blaming yourself, but the guilt only makes the pain worse."

"You don't understand, Rose. I'm glad you don't."

"But I _do_ understand, Jack. I completely understand."

Shock and confusion flashed through his eyes as I took a deep breath.

"When I was younger, my father was my best friend. He was the opposite of my mother; warm, loving, and very caring. He was my only ally and would stand up for me when my mother became too much to handle. When I was 15, I met Cal. At first he was so charming and wonderful. He always said that 'we were royalty' and he certainly treated me that way at first. After about 8 months, his true colors began to show. When my parents weren't around, he would yell at me and say some pretty rude things. Cal turned into a cold person, someone completely different than the man I had met. One day, I overheard Cal asking my father for my hand in marriage. It was only a month before my 16th birthday, and both my father and Cal thought his proposal would be the 'perfect present' for me. Up until then, my father and I agreed on everything. He always understood what I was feeling. I couldn't believe that he would ever agree to this; I thought he noticed how miserable I was with Cal. For the month leading up to my birthday, my father and I fought every single day. We went from sharing secrets to screaming at each other. The night before my birthday, we had our biggest fight yet. I shouted at my father and I told him I hated him. I told my only ally that I hated him. I could never really hate my father, no matter how hard I tried. The next morning, I went into my father's study to apologize. Only I wasn't able to; he had died of a heart attack during the night."

The tears I had held back for so long finally fell. Jack's arms wrapped around me, pulling me as close to him as was physically possible. He kissed my hair and murmured my name over and over, like a prayer. Once I regained my composure, I looked into Jack's eyes and continued my story.

"The last thing I ever told my father was that I hated him. At my birthday dinner, I gladly accepted Cal's proposal as a punishment. It was the first of many long, awful, nights. I blamed myself for my father's death, and I saw being with Cal as my punishment. Every time he hit me or raped me, I saw it as God's way of punishing me for killing my father. The I met you, and I realized that it wasn't my fault. You helped me see that I deserve to be happy, and that blaming myself wasn't going to bring back my father."

Jack's eyes bore into mine; it was as if he was trying to etch his words into my soul.

"Rose. It's not your fault at all. You deserve to be happy and to feel loved."

He slowly kissed my forehead, the tip of my nose, and then my lips. After I pulled away, we both whispered, "I love you" at the same time. I slightly smiled and leaned into Jack's chest. He stroked my hair and buried his face in my curls. I had never felt so close to anyone or so safe.

**Okay, so originally this was going to be a super short chapter… 4 pages later, here you are dolls! It's kind of emotionally draining, I know. I actually cried while writing this. **

**Anywhoo, enjoy guys! And don't forget to review ;) **

**Oh, and right now the vote is 50/50 on the Jack/Rose wedding debate. Whatcha think? **

**XO,**

**Katie**


	13. An Old Friend

**So yesterday I wrote this fabulous chapter. I pressed save about 50 million times before leaving for work. When I got home, I was going to post it, but it was nowhere to be found. I went to bed and decided that I would be able to find it today. I spent so much time looking for it, but it's nowhere. Literally. I'm about to cut something. **

**Anyways, thank you to everyone who has reviewed and voted on Jack and Rose's wedding. Y'all have spoken, and they will be married….. Later! However, I'm really looking forward to writing their wedding, so it won't be too far away :) **

**THANK YOU lovelies! Not to be a broken record, but remember to hit that now bright blue button (that I'm not a huge fan of, Caeli Quaedem) and review!**

We spent the rest of the day in each other's arms, learning every detail about each other. It was so strange how even though I didn't know something as simple as Jack's birthday, yet it felt like I knew everything about him. Jack described it as "love at first sight." Even though I didn't believe in that, it made perfect sense when I thought about it; it had taken me a while to realize it, but I had loved Jack ever since he pulled me over the railing.

As impossible as it seemed, I fell in love with Jack even more with each story he told me. I found myself growing homesick for Chippewa Falls, even though I had never been there. Jack drew pictures of his hometown while he told me stories, and I was amazed by the beauty of Wisconsin. He was born on October 4th, 1890, to John and Eliza Dawson. When Jack was sharing his stories with me, I saw him light up. The only time I had seen him with this glow was when we were running from Lovejoy.

"Enough about me. Your turn!" Jack kissed my nose. "I want to know everything about you," his tone grew a little more serious as he ran his thumb along my cheek.

"I was born on December 20th, 1894, to Thomas and Ruth DeWitt Bukater. I always hated how my birthday was so close to Christmas, and I always tried to convince my parents to celebrate my birthday on my half-birthday. Of course, the never agreed to that, but I never stopped trying. Every year on my half-birthday, my father would buy me a small present as a 'consolation prize.' My mother never knew about it, much to my surprise. If she had found out, I know she would have put a stop to it. She always thought my father spoiled me. He always said that he had to 'make up for my mother,' and he did. Other than that, my life was pretty boring, really."

I laughed and looked at the clock. It was six o'clock already! I gasped and jumped out of Jack's arms.

"Jack! We have to get ready! Dinner is in an hour."

"Relax, Rose," he laughed.

I rolled my eyes and let out a sarcastic sigh before searching for a dress. I frantically dug through my suitcase in search of my emerald green dress, the only formal dress I owned. Jack snuck up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me close to him and pressed his neck into the crook of my neck.

"You know you'll be the most beautiful woman there no matter what you wear, right?" he asked.

"Oh, Jack. You're sweet, but your opinion is not shared by everyone."

"Well, they've lost their minds. But if you really want to change, I'll help you out of your dress."

He kissed my shoulder and began to undo the buttons.

"Jack!"

I turned around and saw his signature devilish grin, the one that always made my knees go weak. I mock slapped his arm before kissing him quickly.

"Later," I whispered. "You have to behave, though," I raised my eyebrows.

I grabbed the emerald dress and walked to the tiny bathroom. I quickly splashed some water onto my face before slipping into the dress. I was able to put on a little make-up, but my hair provided a greater challenge.

"Why can't you just do what I want?" I asked my hair.

Jack must have heard my exasperated sigh, because he lightly rapped on the door before entering.

"You alright, love?" he asked.

"No," I frowned. "It's my hair."

"Leave it down," he replied with a shrug.

"That's improper! I can't go to dinner looking like a mess!" I wailed.

A grin played at the edges of Jack's lips as he fought back a chuckle. I grabbed a few pins and shoved them into my hair, not caring about how it looked.

"Rose? I hate to interrupt, but dinner starts in 5 minutes."

"Good enough," I announced before grabbing Jack's hand. "Let's go."

"You look beautiful, as always."

We made our way to the dining car, where I saw Andrew waiting at a table. I tugged Jack's elbow and led him towards Andrew. Upon seeing me, Andrew stood up to say hello. Once Jack and Andrew saw each other, they burst into laughter.

"Drew!" Jack's grin grew as he hugged Andrew.

"Look at you! You've sure transformed from the shy boy who sat in the back of the classroom," Andrew replied.

I stared in awe as the two men laughed. Who would have imagined that they knew each other?

"Um, Rose, this is Drew. We were friends back in Chippewa Falls. We took an art class together for a few months before I left. When you told me you had met a man by the name of Andrew Lawrence, I never imagined that it would be shy ol' Drew!"

"Like you should call anyone else shy, Jack Dawson! If it wasn't for me, the art teacher wouldn't have known your name!" Andrew laughed.

Jack playfully punched Andrew's arm before pulling out my chair for me.

"Maybe we should eat," Jack suggested. "Then I want to hear about your adventures."

"It seems that you've had more adventures than I have, Dawson."

We quickly ate our dinner. Jack and Andrew kept poking each other and making faces; it was as though they were 10 years old again.

"So, Dawson, where did you meet this lovely lady?"

Jack and I anxiously glanced at each other before he answered tentatively.

"We met on a ship. The Titanic, actually."

Andrew's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped.

"It's a long story, but both of us would rather save it for another day. Over just a few days, we fell in love, and here we are! We're heading to Santa Monica to start over."

Andrew nodded in shock.

"What about you, Drew?"

"Oh, I traveled to St. Paul for a while and saved up enough money to buy a gallery there. It became popular, and now I'm heading to Santa Monica to open another one. Speaking of which, how would you like to work there? If your art is as good as I remember, I'd love to display some of your work as well."

Jack grinned and I squeezed his hand.

"Of course! Oh, speaking of art, I have a few sketches sitting in our room if you'd like to see them after dinner."

I smiled at Andrew, who nodded without hesitation.

"I still can't believe that we ran into each other, Dawson. This is incredible!"

We stood up and Andrew clapped Jack on the back. Jack held out a hand for me before returning the gesture. As we walked back to our cabin, Andrew and Jack talked and laughed like long-lost brothers.

_This really is incredible. I'm so glad that Jack's dream is starting to come true._

Once we reached our cabin, Jack unlocked the door and held it open. Jack and I sat down on the bed and Andrew pulled up a chair. There wasn't much room for anything formal. Anyways, it didn't matter; they were old friends.

"I promise I'll make this quick. I love you," Jack murmured into my ear as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Take your time, love. You two have a lot to catch up on. I love you, too," I replied.

Andrew flipped through Jack's drawing of Chippewa Falls and nodded his head. He came to the picture of Jack's parents, and he stopped. His face grew serious, then forlorn.

"It looks exactly like them, Jack," he whispered. "They were wonderful people, and you're just like them."

He looked up and caught Jack's eye.

"It's beautiful."

Jack cleared his throat and I squeezed his hand.

"Thank you," Jack softly replied.

"Well, um, it's getting late. I should be heading back. Thank you for the wonderful evening. It was great talking with you, Dawson. I'll see both of you tomorrow."

Andrew nodded at both of us before quickly leaving.

Jack's gaze was fixed at some unknown point on the wall. I kissed his cheek before nuzzling up against him. His trance broke, and he kissed my forehead. I crushed his lips against mine and wrapped my arms around his neck. Jack deepened the kiss, and I felt the familiar flutter in my stomach.

Suddenly, I jumped out of the bed and grabbed a blank sheet of paper and some charcoal. I began to sketch out and calendar and counted.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, his concern evident.

I let out my breath and smiled.

"It's fine, Jack. Don't worry."

"Well then, come here!" he smiled.

"Not unless you want baby to make three!" I teased.

"I wouldn't mind a baby…" he pouted.

"Wouldn't you rather travel for a while and just enjoy being together first? And then we wouldn't be able to drink cheap beer and ride a rollercoaster until we throw up right away."

Jack sighed and replied, "Well, I guess so."

We both smiled and I crawled into bed right next to him. His arms wrapped around me and I drifted into dreamland.

**Whooo! It's not the same as the original, but it's close! Enjoy dolls! Don't forget to let me know what you think!**

**XO, **

**Katie**


	14. AN

**Hey guys! So for the past couple days I have had MAJOR writers block. It's probably because I'm really stressed/excited/emotionally exhausted about my upcoming graduation. It's so weird to think that in about 2 ½ months I'll be 8 ½ hours away from home! Anyways, the past few days have been really dramatic (AKA a few stupid people in my grade landed someone in the hospital due to a stupid "prank". During a pep fest, some people decided to throw bouncy balls at the sophomores/juniors, and one of the sophomore girls is super allergic to latex. So, she ended up being rushed to the hospital. Geniuses, right? The rest of the pep fest was then canceled and we didn't get to see the senior slideshow that someone spent literally 7 months working on.) I'm also crazy excited to get my laptop on June 19th. It's going to be a lovely Mac Book Pro, and I couldn't be more stoked! Basically, graduation, college, and my new MBP are the only thing on my mind right now. My brain is kind of like, "alksdfglwaidfgb" right now :) **

**So with all this chaos going on right now, it'll probably be a few days until the next chapter. I know where I want everything to go, but I just can't find the words. I know, that sounds really weird. I just can't explain it! **

**Anyways, thank you guys so much for the wonderful reviews! Like I said, I'm looking forward to writing the wedding, so although it will be in the future, it won't be forever away. Compromise! :)**

**Love you dolls!**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	15. Unable to Escape the Past

**So it's kind of been forever, huh? Life has just been crazy! Only 3 ½ days of school….. YAY! :)**

**Anyways, thank you so so SO much guys! All of your encouragement is so great to hear. I really appreciate every single one of your reviews.**

**Unless I get on a roll, this is going to be a super short chapter. Just as a side note, I did some research (thank you, Google!) and found out that in 1912, trains averaged more or less 100 MPH. From NYC to Santa Monica, it's about 2,800 miles. So the trip probably took about 28 hours; I also had them leave at 8 p.m. and once you add in the time zone, they would have gotten to Santa Monica around 9 p.m. In case anyone was wondering :) And yes, I am that much of an obsessive nerd haha.**

**Anywho, enjoy lovelies!**

"Rose," Jack whispered. "We're here!"

He planted a trail of kisses down my neck.

"What time is it?" I grumbled.

"It's 9 p.m. You took a little nap, love," his blue eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Huh?"

"Just go back to sleep, darling," he murmured.

I nodded sleepily before shutting my eyes again. I woke up a few times and heard shushed voices. I heard Jack exchange a few words with Drew, a car door closing, and Jack speaking with a hotel owner.

When I finally woke up, I was curled against Jack and under a pile of blankets. I buried my head into his face and let out a content sigh. Once Jack woke up, we quickly got ready for the day.

"You ready to drink cheap beer and ride a rollercoaster until you throw up?" Jack asked with a wide grin. "I hope you're not scared!"

"As long as you're here," I grabbed his hand, "there's nothing I fear."

The second we reached the streets of Santa Monica, I felt my heart soar. The atmosphere was different from anything I had ever known; it was I dreamed it would be. As we walked around, Jack and I ran into a paper boy. Once I saw the headline my heart sank.

_Caledon Hockley mourns the loss of his beloved fiancée_

My eyes widened and I gasped in shock. Jack's eyes mine and he reassuringly squeezed my hand. After purchasing a copy, we sat down at a café to read the article.

**So, uh, yeah. That was really short. Anyways, I know where this is going, I swear! I'm just really busy. And when I say busy, I mean "so busy that tumblr automatically logged me out because I haven't been on in forever" busy. Yeah, it's bad. But I love you guys a lot 3**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	16. A Breakfast Surprise

**Graduation in t-minus 4 days guys…. I don't think it's fully sunk in yet.**

**Anyways, thank you for all of your reviews! **

**JackIsAwesome- THANK YOU for noticing that! I really meant 1894/1890, and it was a typo. I was born towards the end of 1994 and was 17 on the 100-year anniversary, so I found it easy to do the math on that one :) I just changed it!**

**AbbiMei- I'm so glad that you like it! There are tons of "Jack lives" fanfics, and I'm trying to be original yet stay true to Jack/Rose/everyone else. Hearing that this isn't super generic is great! Also, reading your chapter 7 review totally made my day :)**

**starrynight12- Thank you! Hearing what works and what isn't working all the time is so great. I really love getting that kind of feedback, so thank you for that! :)**

**Titanicfan- Aww thank you doll!**

**xNeverLetGox- Thank you! And no, Rose is not pregnant. I decided to have them wait a while before kids and mix it up a little :)**

**Katy-kat15- No joke, I cried the first time I saw the commercial. It was right before The Vow and I think I cried more during the Titanic commercial than during The Vow… That's probably slightly unhealthy, but whatever! **

**classicmovielover- I really hope the rollercoaster was in Santa Monica then! If not, I'll just use a little artistic licensing :) It just wouldn't be the same without that rollercoaster.**

**Caeli Quaedem- Yay! You caught my Heart Will Go On reference :) I just had to put that in there! As for Cal, you never know what he's going to do! Maybe he'll come to Santa Monica, maybe not. Wait and see ;) And I can't believe that you start school soon! That's just crazy.**

**Anywho, read and enjoy lovelies! I love you all!**

A very mournful Cal, followed by my mother, was on the front page. My heart stopped and my breath caught in my throat.

"It's okay, Rose. I'll protect you," Jack said, cupping my face in his palm.

I looked into his eyes and nodded before turning my gaze to the article.

_In the chaos of the night of April 14, 1912, Caledon Hockley momentarily lost sight of his fiancée, Rose DeWitt-Bukater. Many people lost loved ones that night, and Mr. Hockley was no exception. Miss DeWitt-Bukater perished when the Titanic sank to her watery grave, leaving behind a distraught fiancée and mother. Although the fate of Titanic and Miss DeWitt-Bukater was out of Mr. Hockley's control, one can see the pain and regret etched into his face…. _

I exhaled and looked at Jack, unable to finish the article.

"There's no picture or any mention of you. I can tell that Cal didn't tell my mother. She wouldn't have let me go this easily," I whispered.

"Damn it all. I have to give Hockley some credit for this one. He did a good job," Jack remarked as I rolled my eyes.

"I told you."

Jack and I were so wrapped up in our own little world that we didn't notice the woman who sat next to us and began to stare at Cal's picture.

"Oh, poor Cal. He must be devastated!"

The sharp outburst from the unnamed woman startled Jack and me into reality.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. It's just… I used to know Caledon Hockley. We were very close many years ago. I'm sure he's terribly crushed right now."

I caught Jack's eye and his face mirrored the same shock and amazement that I was feeling.

_Could this be Marie? Impossible!_

"I apologize. My name is Marie Waldorf. My late husband and I helped develop a few restaurants in Santa Monica, including this café. I hope I'm not interrupting you two."

"Not at all!" Jack declared. "My wife is acquainted with Mr. Hockley and Miss DeWitt-Bukater, and this was a shock for her as well. Would you like to join us, Mrs. Waldorf?"

Jack flashed his most charming smile and winked at me as Marie sat down.

After chatting over coffee and pastries, Marie finally told us how she knew Cal. There were tears in her eyes as she described when Cal left for college and she became engaged.

"My father wouldn't listen to any of my objections. I told him over and over how much I loved Cal, but he didn't care. He saw Cal as a rebellious troublemaker and someone who wouldn't be able to 'protect' his daughter. During my engagement, I wasn't allowed to write to Cal or have any contact with our mutual friends. My father was scared that Cal would somehow find out about my engagement and we would elope. I still find it hard to believe that Cal didn't know. I spent most of my wedding praying that he would rush into the church and save me. He never even tried to find me."

Marie stared into her cup of coffee and Jack and I looked at each other in shock. I desperately wanted to tell her about who Jack and I really were and what Cal had told me, but I knew I had to check with Jack first. We couldn't blow our cover.

"I'm so sorry, Marie," I said.

I couldn't find the words for what I wanted to say, so I simply placed my hand over hers. Jack held my other hand and quickly squeezed it before meeting my eyes and nodding. I knew that we had to tell Marie, preferably with Cal.

_If Cal got on a train right now, he could be here for dinner tomorrow night. We need to call him right away!_

"I'm sure you two have plans today, but would you like to meet me for dinner tomorrow night? I live just down the street from here," Marie asked.

_Perfect!_

"Of course! We would love to," Jack and I replied.

We stood up and I hugged Marie, something my mother would not have approved of. For a moment I wondered if this was to brazen, but Marie gave me a wide smile and I knew I made the right choice.

"I'll see you two tomorrow night at 7 o'clock!"

Marie turned and walked out of the café.

"Can you believe this?" I asked Jack. "We have to call Cal. He could be here for dinner tomorrow night."

"If it makes you happy, love, we'll call right now," he replied with a smile.

We walked back to the hotel hand in hand, talking about how insane this was. I would have never imagined that I would be engaged to someone other than Cal and that I would he helping him find love.

Once we found the hotel telephone, my nerves kicked in.

"What if my mother answers? Or Cal is gone? Or someone realizes that I'm the one calling?" I asked.

"Rose, it's going to be alright. Try and fake an accent or something and say that your name is Josephine if anyone asks," he replied.

Jack wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him as I asked the operator to connect me to Caledon Hockley in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"Hello, Hockley household," a maid answered.

"Hello, my name is Marie and I need to speak to Caledon immediately, please."

"Just a moment, miss."

Jack gave me a funny look, and I mouthed that Cal didn't know anyone by the name of Josephine; I knew that he might ask the maid to take a message from someone named Josephine, but he would always answer a call from anyone named Marie.

"Hello?" Cal answered with an anxious edge in his voice.

"Cal! It's Rose. Jack and I are in Santa Monica right now. You're not going to believe what just happened!" my words rushed out of my mouth at lightning speed.

"Is everything alright? You're not in trouble, are you?" Cal's anxiety had turned into worry, and I found myself touched.

"Everything is more than alright, Cal. Jack and I just ran into Marie! We were reading the newspaper article about my funeral, and she started talking to us out of the blue. We talked for a while, and she told us about her engagement and wedding. She still loves you, Cal."

I could hear Cal's breathing quicken as I told him about Marie.

"Your Marie is now a widow as well. Jack and I didn't feel comfortable telling her everything without you, so she has no clue that you still love her. She invited us over for dinner tomorrow night, and if you catch the next train to Santa Monica you could make it. I know it's probably a bad time, but I'm sure you'll find a way."

I couldn't contain my excitement as I waited for Cal to respond.

"Well?" I prodded.

"Rose, thank you. I'll head to the next train station right now. I can't believe that you found her! Just think, after all these years! This is incredible!"

Cal and I began to laugh incredulously before saying goodbye. He must have thanked me a hundred times before hanging up.

I threw my arms around Jack and he spun me around and kissed me.

"This is insane!" he laughed.

"I know; that's why I trust it," I replied, looking into his clear blue eyes.

Jack pressed his lips against my forehead and murmured a quick "I love you."

"I love you too, Jack."

"Let's go ride that rollercoaster!"

"And drink cheap beer!"

We laced our fingers together before bursting out of the hotel and heading towards the rollercoaster and the day's excitement.

**It's so exciting, isn't it? I'm having so much fun with this, guys! Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy this and remember to make my day and review :) **

**Thank you so much for waiting forever and a day for an update, and I hope this was worth it. Thank you to everyone who has been reading my little fanfic; you guys are seriously amazing!**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	17. My Apologies

**Ohmylanta guys….**

**Right now I'm sitting in a dorm room at my college on the second night of my registration…. **

**AND I HAVE MY MACBOOK! **

**It's also 1:15 in the morning so I'm a little tired. Just a tad. And have to wake up in 5 hours. I have been going insane the past week and a half, so I haven't had time to write at all. I just wanted you lovelies to know that I have no abandoned you!**

**In case you are wondering, I'm going to major in journalism (probably magazine writing/editing), and I will always write on the side :) I could never give this up!**

**You guys are seriously my favorite people in the entire world. Anywho, I need to sleep. I promise to update soon! Now I'll be able to write anywhere, which will make this a lot easier.**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	18. A Day At the Pier

**Once again, THANK YOU for your patience! Things have been hectic, but I think that they're starting to slow down a bit. I was up in the middle of nowhere at my grandparents' cabin and I didn't have any Internet access and my parents gave me "that look" whenever I pulled out my laptop.**

**As for the question about Cal being so nice, if I was in his position, I would be downright thrilled if my ex-whom I tried to kill- called me and told me that they had encountered the one person I've ever loved. I always try to see the good in others, so I guess that's why my "nice guy" version of Cal sprung up. It's kind of a bad habit, but whatever. I know that it can be hard to not see Cal as a selfish asshole, but I always have a hard time seeing that in anyone, especially if I can come up with a reason for their asshole-ness. **

**A little side note- in my yearbook, my two best friends made Titanic references. My second-best friend (I hate to call her that, but I'm much closer to my other friend) wrote- "If you go, I go." I chewed her out for misquoting Titanic, because that's practically a sin. She said that saying, "if you jump, I jump," sounded too weird. Whatever. She's crazy. But she also signed it, "I'll never let go! 3", which made up for her error. My best friend (the other one) talked about how even though she thinks my Titanic obsession is a little bit crazy and I get too emotional, she'll always watch it with me. I love them so much!**

**I have a tumblr, and I follow this really great blog where people post all of their "Titanic confessions." Someone pointed out how getting out of her corset my herself would have been difficult for Rose, and the blog writer said that if any of us were given the opportunity for that kind of… erm… "quality time" with young Leo, we would find a way out of that corset if it killed us. I couldn't agree more! The way that he's aged is a crime against humanity in my humble opinion. I have a friend who's in love with Humphrey Bogart, who also aged horribly (even worse than Leo!) and we rant about how cruel the world is. That's a really random thought, but I thought I should share that. It's relevant, right? So go check out that tumblr, everyone! It's something along the lines of .com. I think.**

**Anyways, I really, really love all of you guys! I seriously squeal a little whenever I get positive feedback. You are all wonderful and amazing people. But you probably want to read the chapter, huh? I've certainly kept you waiting long enough! Well, here it goes…**

While standing in line for the rollercoaster, I felt my heart pound. I had never been so nervous, not even during the sinking of Titanic. Even though I had Jack next to me, I couldn't get over my nerves.

"I can't do this," I whispered.

"Do you trust me?" Jack replied, looking into my eyes.

The love I saw reflected in them comforted me just as it had so many times before. I nodded and he squeezed my hand before stepping forward in line. Once we reached the front of the line, I felt as if my heart was about to burst through my chest. Jack entered the compartment and held out his hand to me. I placed my hand into his and he kissed the back of it. I couldn't help but smile and all of my fears melted away. Jack had protected me since the moment we met, and I knew that he would do anything to protect me. Suddenly, the wooden frame beneath me began to shudder as the ride started. The chugging of the engine and the creaking wood became louder and louder; the sound reminded me of when Titanic split in half. As we reached the top of the first peak, my mind flashed back to when Jack and I were standing at the top of Titanic's stern, just waiting for her to plunge into the Atlantic. My heart dropped as we fell over the first hill. Instead of being terrified, I felt as if I was flying again! I let out a very unladylike scream as adrenaline coursed through my veins. As soon as the ride began, it was over. I looked at Jack and saw that his hair was sticking up in every direction.

Jack gave me a very bewildered look as I began to laugh.

"Huh, I was expecting a different reaction," he said.

"It's just… Your hair!" I exclaimed.

With a shake of his head, Jack proceeded to help me out of the rollercoaster carriage. Once we were back onto solid ground, I faced him and attempted to smooth his hair.

"Your hair is just like you- stubborn, with a mind of its own," I grumbled.

The more I tried to fix Jack's hair, the more out of place it became. My frustration became visible, and he smirked.

"Rose, it's fine. You know that we're free to be imperfect now, right?" he said softly, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I leaned into Jack's chest and inhaled deeply. His familiar scent instantly calmed me.

"We don't have to ride the rollercoaster again if you're too worried about my hair," he teased.

I looked up into Jack's clear blue eyes and rolled my eyes in response.

"We don't have to ride it again if you're too scared," I shot back with a smile.

"Oh, it's on. Whoever throws up first has to get up early and get breakfast tomorrow."

"Deal."

We looked into each other's eyes and shook hands. Before I knew it, I was back on the rollercoaster.

After riding the rollercoaster countless times, Jack gave me a quick glance before darting out of the compartment and heading for some bushes a few yards away. I tried not to laugh as I walked towards a hunched over Jack and began to rub his back.

"Do you want something to drink?" I asked.

Jack nodded and took a deep breath. He was still hunched over and trying to hold the contents of his stomach in. I couldn't help but smile at his attempt to stay in the bet.

"Beer?" I questioned, running my fingers through his silky locks.

Jack nodded ferociously, causing me to chuckle. I kissed the top of his head before beginning my search for beer.

When I returned with two tall glasses of beer, Jack was leaning against a fence a few feet away from the bushes. His face had a slight twinge of green and he was subtly clutching his stomach. He looked so pitiful that I couldn't find the heart to mock him.

Jack attempted one of his heart-stopping smiles as I approached him. I handed him one of the glasses, and after a few gulps, Jack appeared much better. I kissed his cheek and whispered, "I win" into his ear.

"You know I would have woken up before you anyways," he smiled. "I love surprising you."

Jack kissed me, and even though he tasted like vomit and cheap beer, it sent a bolt of electricity down my spine. After breaking the kiss, Jack whispered, "I love you" and kissed my forehead. I nestled my head against his chest before murmuring, "I love you, too."

After drinking a few more glasses of beer, Jack and I walked along the coast hand-in-hand.

"This is so beautiful, Jack. I don't understand how anyone could ever leave," I said.

"There's more to see," he replied. "If you think this is beautiful, you should see the coast of Italy. That makes this seem like nothing."

"Will you take me there?" I asked, looking up into Jack's sapphire eyes.

"Of course! Where would you like to go first?"

"Wisconsin, if that's alright. When you were talking about it, you made it seem so magical."

Jack hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"We don't have to go if you're not ready, love. We could go to Paris instead. Or London. Or Italy."

"I'd rather not get on another ship right now," he replied with a half-hearted smile.

Jack pulled me close to him and we walked in silence for a few moments, remembering everything that had happened on Titanic.

"For me, the good memories on Titanic outweigh the bad," I said wistfully. "I just wish that Mr. Andrews had survived. He could never replace my father, but he sort of stepped into a father-like role for me. He had a wife and daughter waiting for him at home, too. It breaks my heart knowing that the sea claimed him and Captain Smith but spared Mr. Ismay and Sir Cosmo."

"Rose, Mr. Andrews was a true gentleman. I am extremely honored to say that I met him. I know that he would want to you continue on with your life and be happy, just like your father. I bet they're both keeping an eye on you up there," Jack pointed up to the sky.

A few tears welled up in my eyes as I imagined Mr. Andrews at the bottom of the ocean.

_NO. Stop it, Rose. Jack's right. He wouldn't want you to be this unhappy. There was nothing you could have done, anyways. He died with dignity and the knowledge that he saved room for women and children on the lifeboats. Mr. Andrews died a gentleman's death that night, unlike Mr. Ismay and Sir Cosmo. He probably is watching you right now, and seeing you this hurt will hurt him. Jack's very much alive and he's never going to leave you. That's what's important. Live your life fully in honor of the people who died that night._

Jack searched my face for a reaction with worried eyes. He gently cupped my chin in his hands and wiped away the tears that escaped my eyes.

"It's alright, Rose. I promise," Jack whispered as his hands stroked my face and smoothed my hair.

I nodded before kissing him.

"Thank you," I murmured between kisses.

After breaking apart and exchanging "I love you"s, we headed towards our hotel room. I was tired after our long and exhausting day. Physically, my body threatened to fall asleep at any moment. Mentally, I was exhausted from our encounter with Marie and talking about Titanic.

Right before climbing into bed, I grabbed Jack's hands and looked into his eyes.

"Jack?" I asked softly.

"Yes?" he replied.

"You know that I would never take back Titanic, right? It changed my life for the better. I would have found another way to escape my world, only you wouldn't have ben there to save me," I moved on hand to his cheek. "Every bad moment on Titanic was eclipsed by meeting you," my voice cracked and I tried to fight back tears.

"I know," he replied quietly.

"When I thought I lost you…" my voice cracked and tears began to pour down my face; I was momentarily unable to speak. "I had no idea how I would handle it. That was the scariest moment of my life. I don't know what I would do without you, Jack."

Jack crushed his body against mine and ran his fingers through my hair. He kissed my forehead then looked deep into my eyes.

"You're strong, Rose. Stronger than you know. You had the strength to let go of me in order to save yourself. I know that you would have kept your promise to me. All of that is in the past now. I'm _never_ going to leave you; I swear on my life. You jump, I jump."

I nodded and buried my face into Jack's chest. He picked me up and carried me to bed. I fell into a deep sleep before he set me down.

**Well, I hope this was worth the wait! The next chapter is going to be very emotional, so I tried to make this one a little bit fluffier, even though it ended on a more serious note. You guys are such wonderful people for being patient with me! I love you all a lot, and don't ever forget it! When I wasn't able to update or even write, I felt as though I was abandoning y'all. You have become such a great support system for me and I can't thank you enough for that. I re-read some of the old chapters and realized that there were some grammatical mistakes. Even though I didn't change them on this website, I changed them on my computer. Every chapter is now safe on both a flashdrive and on my laptop.**

**Once again, THANK YOU for your continual support and patience. Please review and tell me what you think! I know that Rose seems overly emotional, but nearly every Titanic survivor had PTSD. I just read a book about Titanic survivors and their stories, and I'm using that to help flesh out both Jack and Rose's emotions about the sinking. Some people became extremely emotional and suffered from many flashbacks, like Rose, and others used the experience to strengthen them, like Jack. I'm not saying that the experience didn't strengthen Rose, because it certainly did, but she hasn't hit that point in her own grieving process yet. **

**Would y'all like me write a new chapter in Jack's POV or rewrite a previous chapter from his POV at all? Let me know in the comments/in your review.**

**XO,**

**Katie**


	19. An Early Morning

**I finally read through your reviews, and they all meant so much to be! It's crazy thinking that I've passed 100 reviews on something that I started out of boredom and the urge to write again. I really hope that I can continue with this once college hits. **

**Yes, I do have the new MacBook Pro, and it's **_**AMAZING!**_** I'm so in love with it. Next year I'll be at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism, for whoever asked. I couldn't be more excited to start classes there. If anyone here is considering journalism as their major, I highly recommend their program. It's one of the top schools for journalism, and Columbia University is probably the only college with a program to rival theirs. Even if I could go to Columbia, I don't think I would. The energy and atmosphere at Mizzou is so wonderful. It really feels like home to me.**

**THANK YOU for the cc (as well as the compliments). I'm not online right now so I can't see whoever wrote that review, but cc is something I really value. I completely understand where you're coming from. A lot of survivors suffered from PTSD, and I think that the loss of Mr. Andrews and possibly Captain Smith (I'm assuming Rose liked him. We never get their full picture of their relationship in the movie), as well as the more symbolic loss of Ruth caused flashbacks and other symptoms of PTSD. The overall trauma of the sinking, when Rose thought Jack died, and her previous depression didn't help, either. I'm definitely not going to turn Rose into some crazy, over-emotional character, though! It's also "that time of the month" for her (flashback to the train) and we all know that's a lot of… **_**fun**_**. Personally, I've always heavily identified with Rose (as many of us have) and I'm just writing this based on how I think I would react. My first love was someone my parents hated as well, so writing about their relationship is a bit easier for me. It's a chance for me to live vicariously through Jack and Rose as well haha :) I'm having Jack react the way he is because I think he had a very different perspective on the sinking. He had a much closer brush with death than Rose did, so I think that's altering his reaction for sure. He also reminds me a lot of my first love, whom we'll call "S" for future reference, and that's how I think he would have reacted. That probably sounds slightly insane, but whenever I picture Rose/Jack's reactions to anything and then my/S's reactions to the same thing, they're always the same. Let me know if you think Rose/Jack's reactions become too off base. That was a very long explanation, I know. Never fear, Rose will be back to her usual spunky self soon! :) Also, what kind of details would you like to see? More scenery/location type details or details about Rose or Jack? And I'm probably going to sound fairly stupid here, but what exactly is a Mary-Sue/OC? I've vaguely heard people mention it in their fanfics, but it's never been explained to me. Thanks, doll!**

**Random question, is anyone else waiting for Leo and Kate to get married? They're so perfect together! I ship them together in real life just as passionately as I do with Titanic. **

**I love you guys! Enjoy!**

The next morning, Jack woke me up by softly singing into my ear.

"Come Josephine in my flying machine…" he stopped singing and smiled once he saw me open my eyes.

I grumbled and stretched my arms.

"The sun isn't even up yet," I whined. "You're crazy!"

Jack smiled and kissed me.

"Go get ready, Rose. I have a surprise."

I could sense his excitement and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Trust me," he said, a smile playing at he corners of his lips.

I shot him a pleading look before rolling out of bed and into the bathroom. A few minutes later, I emerged in a light dress with my hair braided to the side. I saw Jack rummaging through his trunk and decided to take revenge for being woken up so early. I snuck up behind him and was about to pounce when he spun around and locked me in a tight embrace. After kissing my forehead, Jack handed me a pair of his pants and told me to try them on. He turned back to the trunk and I stood frozen, staring at his back in confusion.

"What?" I asked, dumbstruck.

"Oh, that's right. You'll probably want these, too."

Jack stayed facing his trunk and handed me a shirt and a belt. I took his clothes but continued to stare in confusion. Once Jack turned back around, he laughed.

"What, do you need some help?" he asked with a smile.

"Jack Dawson. Why on earth would _I_ need to wear _your_ clothes? Have you lost your mind?"

"Just trust me. Hurry up or we'll be late!"

He scooped me up and began to carry me towards the bathroom.

"For what?" I asked in exasperation.

Jack winked at me before setting me on the tiled bathroom floor and shutting the door behind him. I rolled my eyes and changed into Jack's clothes. Even though I tightened the belt as much as I could, his pants still slouched around my waist. The shirt was too large as well, and the sleeves stretched past my fingertips. I walked out of the bathroom and let out a sigh.

"This is ridiculous," I stated, throwing my hands up in the air; the ends of the shirtsleeves flopped around and emphasized my point.

Jack laughed and rolled the shirtsleeves up to my elbows.

"You look beautiful," he replied. "As usual."

I rolled my eyes and headed for the door. By the time we reached the street, the sun had begun to peak out from behind the horizon. Jack hailed a cab and ushered me inside. He whispered our destination to the cab driver before placing his hands over my eyes.

"What are you doing?" I laughed.

"It's a surprise, Rose. You can't peek!"

I could hear the excitement in Jack's voice, and I leaned toward him, resting my head against his shoulder.

"You're crazy, Jack Dawson."

"I know," he replied with a laugh.

I felt the cab come to a stop and I expected Jack to restore my vision. Instead, he thanked the driver and helped me out of the cab with one hand over my eyes. He wrapped one arm around my waist to guide me and firmly covered my eyes with the other hand.

"Where are we?" I questioned.

"You'll see in just a minute. Hold your horses!" Jack replied with a laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You'll see. We only need to walk a little further."

Eventually, Jack uncovered my eyes and revealed a man holding two horses on the beach. The sun was rising in the background and the colors reflected vividly against the water. I had never seen anything more beautiful. I gasped and look up at Jack, who was grinning widely. His clear blue eyes sparkled and shone. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him with every fiber of my being. My fingers twisted in Jack's silky blonde hair and he pulled me even closer. We broke apart and I looked at him in awe.

"This is incredible," I murmured. "How did you do this?"

"I have my ways," he replied with a smile.

"You are so amazing," I said before briefly kissing him. "I love you."

"I love you more."

Jack intertwined our fingers and led me to the horses. He took the reins from the man, who quickly left. After tying one horse to the tree, Jack helped me onto the other horse. Out of instinct, I sat sidesaddle.

"Now, none of that sidesaddle stuff," Jack teased.

"Catch me if I fall?" I asked jokingly.

"Sweetheart, you're more likely to fall sitting like that," he gestured to the horse and me. "And besides, you know I'd catch you."

I gave him a dubious look and tried to shift my leg to the other side of the horse. I was unsuccessful, so Jack hopped onto the horse and sat behind me. He flipped his hair out of his face and a few shivers went down my spine. The rising sun reflected against Jack's hair and illuminated his face; I momentarily lost my breath as I gazed into his eyes. A brilliant smile spread across his face and I smiled back.

"You're so beautiful," he said softly.

"No, you are," I replied, casting my gaze down.

"Rose. Look at me," Jack said sternly, lifting my chin to meet his gaze. "You _are_ beautiful. I wish you could see yourself as I see you."

I gave him a weak smile and he kissed me tenderly.

"Now come here. All this sidesaddle stuff in unacceptable," Jack said with a smile.

His hands floated over my hips and thighs, guiding one of my legs to the other side of the horse. My body felt as though it was on fire; I never imagined that anyone could make me feel this way before we met.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" he asked, his breath warm against my neck.

I shook my head and Jack hopped off of my horse and then onto his; he was clearly oblivious to the effect he had on me.

"Okay, so…" Jack began to explain how to ride a horse "like a man" and I listened intently.

"Wait, so in order to make the horse trot you go like this, right?" I asked innocently.

Jack nodded and matched my pace.

"And in order to make the horse gallop, you-" he continued.

"Do this!" I exclaimed before launching my horse into a full-blown sprint.

"Hey!" I heard Jack shout from far behind me.

I laughed freely, enjoying the wind against my face.

"Look who thinks they're funny," Jack chuckled once he caught up with me.

I slowed my pace slightly and he matched it. I gave him a blasé shrug as our horses moved closer. Our pace slowed to a walk and he reached for my hand.

"This really is incredible, Jack," I said.

I drank in the view and tried to store every detail in my memory.

"Anything to make you smile."

When I glanced at Jack, I saw that he was watching me; his blue eyes seemed as bottomless as the sea. He smiled before looking in front of us momentarily.

"We're here!" he proclaimed with a grin. "I bet you're hungry, love."

I followed Jack's line of sight and saw a few blankets and a picnic basket sitting on the beach.

"How did you..?" I trailed off in astonishment.

"Like I said, I have my ways," he gave me a devilish grin. "I guess Drew might have helped a little, too."

We stopped the horses and Jack slid off of his effortlessly. H walked to the side of mine and held out his hand. I awkwardly half-jumped and half-shimmied off the horse and Jack caught me, as always. We walked hand-in-hand toward the picnic in silence. Before, I had seen silence as a sign of suppression; my silence hid a world of hurt, confusion, and anger. My mother and Cal also used silence to show their anger; the quieter they were, the angrier they became. More often than not, that anger was directed at me. With Jack, silence was comfortable. His silence didn't have a hidden meaning; it was simply silence.

When we reached the little picnic area, Jack and I sat down on the blankets. His arms reached for me, and I automatically fell into them. My hands were dwarfed by his, and I couldn't help but admire the way Jack's fingers traced patterns over my hands and arms. It was as if he could see some sort of picture on my porcelain skin; he was an artist down to the core of his being. The way his fingertips skimmed my skin gave me chills. We sat in silence for a few more minutes, just enjoying our closeness.

"I made sure to get the fanciest sounding coffee on the menu," Jack said, breaking our silence. "I figured that it would have plenty of milk and sugar, or whatever you put in your coffee."

I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"That sounds lovely," I replied.

Jack reached for the two thermoses and two mugs. After opening both thermoses, he began musing about which thermos held his black coffee and which held my coffee.

"How about you taste-test them, Rose? I know you're anxious to try black coffee again. I could tell how much you enjoyed it."

I elbowed him and reached for one of the thermoses.

"Why, I think this one must be yours, Jack! I mean, it's pitch black and has an atrocious smell," I answered, matching his mocking tone.

"Rose Dawson! Are you trying to imply something here?"

I shook my head and buried it into his shirt, breathing in his scent. The faint smell of cigarettes mixed with something entirely unique to Jack was intoxicating. I sighed before lifting my head off of his chest and turning my attention towards my coffee. Jack had poured some coffee into one of the mugs, but I simply drank my coffee straight from the thermos.

"Come Josephine in my flying machine," Jack sand softly.

"Going up she goes, up she goes..." I chimed in; I felt Jack's fingers lock into mine and I smiled. "We really should learn all of the lyrics, love."

"Maybe," he shrugged. "Or we could just sing the same couple of lines over and over."

The sun was now full in the sky and the waves casually hit the beach. A seagull circled above our heads and I nestled myself against Jack. We continued to sit in silence as we drank our coffee. Jack pressed his lips against the top of my head before breaking the silence.

"What are you thinking about right now?" he asked.

"How beautiful this is. I still can't believe that you did this for me."

"I promised that we'd ride horses in the surf, didn't I?"

I smiled and kissed him briefly.

"You did," I replied before kissing him again and pulling him closer.

Jack's hands wove through my hair and accidentally undid my braid. All of a sudden, children's voices echoed along the beach. We quickly stood up and began to brush sand out of our clothes, blushing like schoolchildren. I glanced at Jack and we broke into laughter.

"Let's go," he said between laughs.

I nodded and grabbed his outstretched hand before we walked back to the horses. Our fingers did their own dance as we rode back to where the horse owner was waiting. Jack jumped off of his horse and then held out his hand to me. I ignored his outstretched hand and jumped off of my horse unaided. He raised an eyebrow before wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Guess what," Jack asked as we walked back to our hotel.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"We met 10 days ago," he mused.

"Really? It feels like I've known you my entire life."

"I know."

"At the same time, you turned my entire life upside-down. Everything has changed so much since we met."

Jack nodded and puled me closer.

As we walked back to the hotel, I saw a few signs advertising apartments for rent.

"Wouldn't t be great to live here?" I mused.

"Yeah, it would," Jack replied with a smile.

Once we reached our hotel room, I grabbed dress and headed towards the bathroom to change into something more "appropriate". When I emerged, I saw that Jack was reading a notecard.

"Who's that from, love?" I asked.

"Drew. He wants to meet for lunch and talk about his new gallery here," he replied with a huge grin.

"When?" I asked excitedly.

"In about," he glanced at the clock, "20 minutes. Shit!"

I laughed as Jack kissed me on the forehead before racing towards the door.

"Do you want to call Marie and see if she wants to look at apartments with you? Maybe have some girl talk or whatever you call it?" he asked, halfway out the door.

"Sure," I smiled. "Maybe I should tell her about who we really are and mention that Cal's coming tonight."

"If you want," Jack shrugged. "Just don't scare her too badly! And don't tell her in public!" he joked.

I laughed and rolled my eyes before running into his outstretched arm.

Before I knew it I was walking along the streets of Santa Monica with Marie. We had searched high and low for the perfect apartment but hadn't found one yet.

"Well, I don't know what to say, Rose," Marie sighed.

"If we don't find something in 10 minutes we should just head back to your house," I agreed.

"Would you be opposed to buying a house here? It sounds like Jack's found the perfect job already," she asked. "And I enjoy having you here. You're not like everyone else. In a good way, I mean!"

Marie gave me a sheepish smile and I grinned back.

"I'm sure Jack wouldn't mind. I'm so glad that I've met you, too. There's something I need to tell you once we get back to your house. It's good new, I promise!" I added once I saw the worried look on her face.

We continued to chat as we wondered the streets.

"Rose, look at this house!"

I looked towards the other side of the street and saw a gorgeous house. It was large, but it still seemed small. There was a wraparound porch and it was painted off-white. We were only a few blocks away from the pier and I could hear the echoes of the seagulls. I instantly knew that this house was perfect for Jack and me; I could practically hear it calling my name.

"It's beautiful!" I exclaimed.

Marie grabbed my hand and we darted across the street. I walked up the steps and knocked on the front door. We waited a few minutes, and no one answered the door. I knocked again and could feel my impatience growing. Still, no one answered. I sighed loudly and headed for the street.

"I'll try again tomorrow," I said reluctantly.

Marie nodded and we began walking back to her house, which was only 3 blocks away. We reached Marie's house and we settled into her parlor with glasses of iced tea.

"You mentioned that you have something to tell me?" she pressed.

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure where to start," I began nervously.

**Cliffhanger! Well, I meat for this chapter to be sort of serious, but it turned fluffy. I know. I lied to y'all.**

**Anyways, here you go, dolls! Remember to review! That's what motivates me to write. Right now I'm at 112 reviews (the last I checked) and I won't post the next chapter until I hit 130. I'm mean, I know. I'm a horrible person. It's okay, I promise. The next chapter won't suck as much as this one did, okay? It will actually be serious and not as fluff (although it was precious, if I do say so myself!).**

**I do have a couple of quick questions, though. 1. Chapter re-written from Jack's POV or a new chapter with his POV? Or neither? 2. What should my story picture be? I'm not Photoshop talented, so that's a no-go. I do have the pages and flare apps for the MBP if anyone thinks that they would work. 3. I'm also thinking of re-naming the story, since I'm horrible with titles and just grabbed something out of thin air when I named this. Thoughts? Also, feel free to PM me if you'd like. I know, random. But I just thought I'd throw it out there.**

**Anyways, I LOVE you guys **_**so**_** much! **

**XO,**

**Katie**


	20. Author's NoteApology

Hey everyone, sorry I've been MIA times 10 billion. College classes started a few weeks ago, and I'm trying to balance everything and keep my sanity. I promise I haven't forgotten about you, dolls!

I love you all, and I'll try to update soon.

XO,

Katie


	21. The Truth

**THANK YOU for being wonderful, patient, human beings. I honestly can't thank you enough for waiting forever and a day!**

**Anywho, I love y'all and here's the next chapter!**

"Jack and I haven't been 100% honest with you. Before you say anything, just hear me out," I took a deep breath.

"My name isn't Rose Dawson, it's Rose DeWitt Bukater. Jack and I aren't technically married yet, but we are engaged."

Marie gasped at the sudden recognition of my name.

"You're Cal's ex-fiancée?" she asked.

I nodded and continued my story.

"Jack and I met onboard Titanic. He saved my life, actually. I was hanging off the back of the ship and was about to jump, and he talked me out of it. He helped me back over the side of the ship when I slipped. He pulled me back onto the deck, but my shouts had already attracted the ship's police. When they arrived, they thought Jack had assaulted me. Instead of telling everyone the truth and saving his own skin, he played along with my story. Cal wasn't amused, but invited Jack to dine with us the next evening."

"Rose, I don't understand. Why did you want to jump?" Marie questioned, clearly concerned.

"Oh, it was a number of things. You see, Cal wasn't the gentleman everyone portrayed him as. He hit me several times and was quite brutal when he wanted to be. My father had just died and had only left bad debts for my mother and me. She insisted on my marriage to Cal in order to save the family name and 'ensure our survival.' She didn't care about my happiness at all."

Marie was very shocked when she heard about how Cal had treated me; he had always been the perfect gentleman around her.

"While we walked back to our rooms, Cal couldn't stop talking about how women and machinery 'didn't mix' and how amusing it would be to see Jack at dinner the next night. I couldn't get my mind off of the man I had just met; he had risked legal action in order to protect me and my reputation. From the moment my eyes met his, I was changed. As I fell asleep, I wondered when I would see the mysterious and charming Jack Dawson again. The next day, I adventured into the steerage lounge in search of Jack. I found him with his friends, who began elbowing him and giggling like school children when they saw me. We spent the day wandering around the deck, talking about my hopes and dreams as well as his. I wanted to learn everything about him, and he wanted to learn everything about me. At one point he asked me if I loved Cal, something no one had ever asked me before. We argued a little, but when I shook his hand and said goodbye, he looked into my eyes and smiled his 'oh-so-charming Jack Dawson' smile and I was captivated again."

Marie nodded in agreement; she had felt the effects of Jack's signature smile yesterday.

"It _is_ captivating," she agreed.

"So I snatched his portfolio out of his hands in an attempt at revenge. It turned out to be a portfolio of Jack's drawings, which were beautiful. He has such a gift, Marie. Not only is he a brilliant artist, but he truly sees the people he draws; he brings their inner essence onto the page. I'm stunned that he hasn't broken into the art world yet, to be honest. Instead of hanging his work up in galleries, Jack sold portraits for 10 cents each."

I paused and looked at Marie, who motioned for me to continue with my story.

"We talked about Jack's adventures around the world, but he always brought the conversation back to Santa Monica. He promised to take me here so we could drink cheap beer, ride the rollercoaster until we threw up, and ride horses in the surf. He said that I couldn't ride sidesaddle either; I would have to 'ride like a man.' Of course, I had no clue how to do that, so Jack promised to teach me. He also promised to teach me how to spit like a man, and dragged me to the railing to begin his lesson right away. My mother and her friends soon interrupted and dinner was announced. I'll never forget how my mother looked at Jack; she could sense that he loved me already and that I was falling for him, even though I hadn't realized it yet. When I walked down the grand staircase for dinner, I saw Jack shaking hands with the pillar in front of him to practice being a 'proper gentleman.' Once he saw me, he blushed a little and his eyes sparkled. I would have never thought of using the world 'beautiful' to describe a man, but Jack really did look beautiful in his borrowed tuxedo. I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to race down the staircase and into his arms, but I managed to restrain myself. After all, I was engaged. Once I reached the end of the staircase, he gently reached for my hand and kissed my knuckles. Electricity bolted down my spine and I was suddenly aware of how close we were. I quickly brushed away my newfound feelings as a crush; nothing would ever stem from it. At dinner, Jack blended in flawlessly. I'm sure he was nervous, but he never faltered. My mother eventually ruined the mystery behind his unknown fortune and revealed that he was from third class. Instead of becoming flustered, Jack turned every insult my mother and Cal threw at him into either a joke or an eloquent statement. I could feel my mother and Cal's eyes darting between Jack and me throughout the meal, and I was relieved when it was over. Although it meant saying goodbye to Jack, I knew that I would find him the next day. Before leaving, he slipped me a note asking me to meet him at the clock on the grand staircase. From there, we went to the third-class party. It was the opposite of any party I had ever been to. Jack light up as he spun me around to the rowdy Irish music. As we danced and drank cheap beer, I realized that I was utterly and inexplicably in love with Jack Anthony Dawson. After the party, Jack walked me back to the first-class entrance. We sang loudly and very off-key, the alcohol still in our systems. We talked on the deck for a while, and he said that I 'was mailed to the wrong address.' A shooting star passed, and I found myself automatically wishing for Jack. In that moment, I realized that no matter how badly I wanted to be with Jack, it would be extremely difficult. My mother and Cal wouldn't let me go without a fight. Jack asked me what I had wished for and snapped me out of my daze. I replied, 'something I can't have. Good night, Jack," and quickly left. I could feel his eyes on me as I slipped into the first-class area and raced back to my room. Once in bed, I burst into tears for both Jack and myself. The idea of spending the rest of my life with Cal was horrifying, but I knew that I couldn't be with Jack. I also knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Jack, and I was pretty sure he felt the same about me. The looks I received from my mother, Cal, and the others only confirmed my suspicions. I cried myself to sleep, thinking of everything I would never be able to have. The next day, both my mother and Cal yelled at me about my relationship with Jack. I was forbidden to see him again, and although it was eating at the very core of being, I knew I had to obey their wishes. When we were taking a tour of the ship later that day, Jack grabbed my arm and pulled me into the gymnasium. Just seeing him brought back a flood of feelings, and I had to force myself to stay away from him. He told me that I was the most amazing woman he had ever met, and that all he wanted to know was that I would be alright. I told him that I was going to marry Cal, and that I loved Cal, but the words tasted foreign and wrong on my tongue. I couldn't meet Jack's eyes when I said that we couldn't see each other anymore. I knew that I couldn't fool him, and Jack said that he didn't want my mother and Cal to put out my spirit. I knew that he was right, but I ran out of the gymnasium instead. If I had stayed there much longer, I wouldn't have been able to hold back the urge to kiss him. I kept trying to convince myself that I had done the right thing all day, but Jack's wounded expression haunted me instead. Eventually, I couldn't handle it any longer; I knew that I had to be with Jack. I found him at the bow of the ship, and he immediately took me back into his arms. We spent the rest of the night together, running from Lovejoy-"

"He's _still_ following Cal?!" Marie interrupted.

I gave her a questioning look, and she began to explain.

"Cal's father hired Lovejoy when he was about 17. He was such a pain in the ass!"

We laughed freely before I continued with my story.

"I asked Jack to draw me 'like on of his French girls' and he did."

Upon seeing a faint blush creep onto my cheeks, Marie raised an eyebrow and I smiled.

"It was a beautiful drawing, but it's at the bottom of the Atlantic now. We ran into the boiler room and the storage area to escape Lovejoy, and we found the Renault someone brought onboard."

My blush deepened, and Marie feigned disapproval.

"Rose!" she gasped. "Was he the first?" she added with a wink.

I shook my head and a frown crossed my face.

"Cal?" she questioned and I nodded quickly, blocking out all the bad memories.

I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing my mind to replace the feeling of Cal's rough hands with Jack's gentle caresses. I took a deep breath and slowly reopened my eyes.

"I'm so sorry. I had no clue, Rose," Marie said quietly.

"How could you know, Marie? You have nothing to be sorry for," I replied with a small smile.

"Anyways, are the rumors about artists and their hands true?" she asked with a conspiratory smile.

"Very," I answered with a knowing grin before laughing and continuing with my story.

"We ran back onto the deck in time to see the iceberg hit Titanic. The next several hours were a whirlwind; I barely remember them myself. I just remember the faces of everyone that died that night. I wouldn't go on a lifeboat without Jack, and we stayed on the ship until the moment the stern sunk below the water. We waited for what seemed like forever and Jack risked his own life to save me. I was on a piece of debris, but Jack couldn't fit as well. A lifeboat finally returned, and for a moment, I thought that I had lost Jack. That was the most terrifying moment of my entire life; I have no clue what I would have done without him. There were less than 10 of us pulled from the water that night. I'll never forget the frozen bodies I saw bobbing in the water."

We both sat in silence for a moment and I regained my composure.

"Onboard the Carpathia, Jack and I ran into Cal. He asked to speak to me privately, and I agreed. After all, I could just yell for Jack if I needed him. Cal apologized for the way he had treated me and told me about you. He was jealous that Jack was able to stop the marriage of the woman he loved because he hadn't been able to do so. I would have never thought that underneath Cal's hard exterior was an actual human being, but I was proven wrong. He also gave Jack and I several thousand dollars. That's how we were able to travel here."

Marie began to tear up when she heard that Cal still loved her.

"If it's alright with you, I called him and invited him to dinner tonight. He got on the next train and is probably at the hotel right now."

"Could I see him?" Marie asked quietly, tears shining in her hazel eyes.

I nodded and hugged her tightly.

"Let's find you a beautiful dress to wear," I said with a smile.

Marie nodded and we headed toward her massive closet.

**So it's not in Jack's POV, but I promise that the next chapter will be!**

**Thank you to everyone who has read this, and an extra large thank you to everyone who has reviewed. You guys are such wonderful people!**

**Please review, dolls! It means the world to me. **

**XO,**

**Katie**


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